Two doctors ‘disappear’ without a trace from Lahore

Both men are from southern Punjab; families allege they are in CTD custody

LAHORE: Two doctors performing house jobs at Mayo Hospital have been missing since Tuesday. Both men are from southern Punjab.

Dr Muhammad Javed from Muzaffargarh and Dr Hafiz Muhammad Adnan from Khanpur, Rahim Yar Khan, both graduates of King Edward Medical University (KEMU) in Lahore, went missing between March 14 and 15. Both men were reportedly returning home to the new hostels at KEMU after completing their shifts at Mayo.

Their families learnt of their disappearance after the King Edward Medical University office contacted them on Friday to inquire about the doctors’ failure to show up to work.

According to the families, both went missing after leaving the King Edward Medical University’s new hostels together on March 15 after completing a 24-hour rotation at the Paediatric Ward.

However, police sources claimed both were reportedly in the Counter Terrorism Department’s custody.

An FIR was lodged under Section 365 of the PPC by the brother of Dr Hafiz Adnan at the Gowalmandi police station. Dr Javed’s family also approached the police station for the registration of an FIR, but was denied.

Dr Jam Muhammad Rizwan, the brother of Dr Adnan, said he had not heard from the latter since March 14. He added that when the missing doctor’s room was examined, it was untouched and his cash, as well as the documents of his missing motorcycle, were found. He added police had failed to make any progress in the case thus far.

Muhammad Khursheed, the brother of Dr Javed, said his father had received a call from KEMU on Friday about his missing sibling. He said both the missing people were doctors so the matter needed to be taken up by the government.

Khursheed alleged he was being denied the right to file a case over his missing relative by the Gowalmandi SHO. He claimed both the doctors were with secret agencies.

He went on to allege that the SHO told him that had he known about this assumption earlier the policeman would no t have even registered the first FIR. He said it was only after senior officials intervened that he was assured an FIR would be lodged.

Lahore DIG Operations Dr Haider Ashraf also stated that the FIR would be registered. He added it was the right of every complainant to file his report to the police and it was the responsibility of the force to follow state laws. He added no headway had been made in determining the whereabouts of the doctors.

KEMU Pro Vice Chancellor Dr Asad Aslam said the families of both doctors were informed by hospital administration about their going missing.

He said the paediatric ward head of department was told by authorities to compile a report on both the doctors.

He added it was forwarded to the police on Saturday and the hospital administration was in touch with them for the safe recovery of both the missing men.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 20^th, 2017.