Sindh

Assault confirmed: Hyd woman allegedly gang raped at Karachi hospital

Police register FIR, hospital denies the incident took place

Faraz Khan May 13, 2016

PHOTO: REUTERS

KARACHI: A 24-year-old woman from Hyderabad was allegedly raped by at least six men working at the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) early on Friday.

SIUT, a reputable medical institution in the country that provides free-of-charge specialised medical care to people suffering from kidney- and liver-related diseases, denied the family’s claims. A press release issued by the hospital on Friday evening claimed that they had security footage proving the girl was not raped.

H*, a dialysis patient, was a regular visitor at SIUT. She was discharged from the hospital on May 9 after nearly two weeks of treatment and was called for a follow-up check-up on Thursday night.

“I was with her,” said the victim’s nephew, Saddam Hussain, while speaking to The Express Tribune. “The dialysis was scheduled for 12am but the doctors delayed it till 3am,” he said. The doctors took her to the second floor for the dialysis and asked Hussain to wait outside the dialysis centre. “They took advantage of my absence,” he claimed.

According to Hussain, the doctors and paramedics allegedly raped her and then took her for the dialysis. She was asked to go home after 6am. “I had no idea what had happened to her at the hospital. She seemed shocked which caused suspicions,” shared Hussain. “We started questioning her and, around 9am, she narrated all that happened.”

H told the family that a group of six doctors and paramedics gang raped her before the dialysis. The family rushed her to Eidgah police station where the police asked for a medical examination before registering the case.

They took H to Services Hospital situated near Civil Hospital, Karachi, where Dr Sumayya conducted her medical examination. According to her initial medical examination report, H was subjected to gang rape. “The police registered a case in the afternoon after we returned with the medical report,” said Hussain. “We want justice and we appeal to the higher authorities and the media to help us.”

No arrests yet

Eidgah police confirmed that an FIR No 79/16 has been registered against six unidentified men. “We have just started recording the statements of the [hospital] employees but so far we could not find any suspects,” said Eidgah SHO Naeemuddin. “As the medical report has also confirmed the rape, we will have to obtain the CCTV footage as well,” he added. “The woman told us that she can identify their faces and we will have to arrange an identification parade soon.”

Hospital denies

Meanwhile, SIUT issued a press release completely denying the incident took place. There is no iota of truth in the incident of alleged case of criminal assault, said a hospital spokesperson, adding that senior officials at SIUT reviewed the in-house security camera footage along with the police officers for the time duration that the woman was inside hospital premises.

“The subject woman remains visible throughout the period while she was at SIUT,” stated the press release, adding that this was merely an attempt to tarnish the institute’s image.

Name withheld to protect identity

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2016.

COMMENTS (13)

Moryalkhan | 8 years ago | Reply I believe it's conspiracy against very reputable institution in the country, which provides quality medical facility on the level of Agha Khan Hospital at the free of cost. Patients all around the country come here to get free treatment. There is mafia's in the fold of private hospitals and centres. People prefer to come SIUT by virtue of quality treatment irrespective of discrimination. There is very strong system of check and balances at SIUT. Moreover, just imagine a patient who is on dialysis gang raped by six persons, it seems utterly inhuman and illogical. Patient on a dialysis is very pathetically condition. Before saying anything plz just wait for investigation report very sad incident indeed. it seems to me hoax story.... blacksheep must be punished and save this noble institution

Adnan | 8 years ago | Reply Baseless allegation. I was a patient at SIUT and used to visit dialysis unit on a daily basis. This is the most disciplined organization in the country . The unit is full of patients 24x7 which has atleast 100 beds including minors . On top of that there are CTVs installed virtually every were to monitor doctors behaviour and security . You can't steal needle in that place let alone rape !

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Pak Sar Zameen Shadbadd | 8 years ago | Reply That Institution treats everyone without differentiation....Personal experience . I agree this news reeks of conspiracy to tarnish the good image of the institution

Faraz Ahmed | 8 years ago | Reply @ Pakistan Zindabad I agree SIUT has no reputation in the society because that's what being a nation we pay in return. But they claim on their website (in bigger figures) that more than 4500 transplant, 800 Dialysis/day, treatment of kidney related cancer patients and have 9 centers. Are all of them from the said(Special background...Sect) Lets take your point this way, Great Edhi I guess also from your said sect. What a mindset Dear Pakistani...!

Syed | 8 years ago | Reply @Pakistan Zindabad: Don't spread secularism under the name of "Pakistan Zindabad". The two are opposite. Moreover, did you ever visited SIUT? Do you know from which sect majority doctors are in SIUT ? Do you have any data of thier patients sect ? If yes, then share with us. Thank you.

Pakistan Zindabad | 8 years ago | Reply Reputable Image of the Institute. Who said that this institution have a reputation. Everyone know that this institution provide facility to people of a special background(sect)

SYED | 8 years ago | Reply @brar: Correct! How about SIUT rivals orchestrating a plan by using and funding patient to tarnish the wel-established image of SIUT ? After all, one can't ignore the existence of rivalries and the extent they can go to ?

brar | 8 years ago | Reply @SYED: Because you can think beyond this, why a patient will try to tarnish the image of an institution of the level of SUIT from where she is getting treatment.

Noman Aadil | 8 years ago | Reply IF its true, It will be a great shame for all of Pakistanis ! As far as I know SIUT is one of the leading organization in health sector in Pakistan. When I came across the incident on tv channels, and after reading the report. Trust me I feel it is something fabricated very nicely. "senior officials at SIUT reviewed the in-house security camera footage along with the police officers for the time duration that the woman was inside hospital premises." now the reality should be in front of the public, what evidences are noticed by police officials ??? Almost 12 hours passed and police has not issued any statement about the rape ?

SYED | 8 years ago | Reply Am I only feeling the smell of conspiracy ?

mirestan | 8 years ago | Reply Pakistani are reaching at the end of the rope, Hospitals,Police station are now cetre of sexual crimes. Because accused get away, there our law is so week.

Zahid | 8 years ago | Reply It's very sad, SUIT must be take seriously action against its employees Now poor people are not save at SUIT shameful act

NKAli | 8 years ago | Reply If there is no urgent action with exemplary punishment given to the rapists, these occurrences will not stop. As it is every now and then the papers report such horrific incidents. Pakistan has become lawless. Salams

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