‘Doctor killers will be caught within 24 hours’

“We know which groups are involved in the target killing of doctors,” said Karachi Capital City Police Officer Waseem Ahmed on Monday at a meeting. The meeting was called by the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) and was held at the PMA House.

According to a PMA press release, the honorary president of the PMA, Karachi Professor Idrees Adhi expressed concern over the killing of doctors in the city. Five doctors have been killed in the past month, lamented the participants at the meeting. In his statement, Dr Adhi said that the PMA is agitated and saddened by the government’s apathy towards the issue. There are so many doctors in the government holding important portfolios, such as the Sindh governor, the home minister and the health minister, but none of them have taken notice of the situation and issued a statement in this regard, he added. The CCPO informed the doctors that the police department knows which groups are involved in these killings, adding that they are going to arrest the culprits in the next 24 hours.

“If I am unable to protect the lives of citizens and doctors I will proudly resign from my post,” the CCPO said.

Ahmed shared the findings of the police regarding target killings and explained what motives were behind the murders. He also highlighted how unlicensed arms are being acquired all over the city. More than 10 raids were carried out to make arrests but due to political pressure and poor implementation of laws, these criminals manage to stay free.

The meeting was also attended by SSP Investigation Raja Umer Khattab, the senior leadership of the PMA, doctors and representatives of Pakistan Islamic Medical Association.

The PMA and other civil society organisations have decided to gather outside the Karachi Press Club on June 10 and protest against the killing of doctors as well as the general security situation in the city.

Published in the Express Tribune, June 9^th 2010