Cop sent on remand after hospital shooting

Doctors demand security, inquiry after Kamran opened fire at NICVD doctor

KARACHI: A local court sent a Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) official on judicial remand for 14 days on Friday, for shooting a doctor at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD).

During the hearing at Karachi City Court, the Saddar police presented CTD official Kamran alias Kami before the South judicial magistrate.

The investigation officer informed the court that Kamran had shot and injured Dr Fahad following an argument. At this, the court sent Kamran on a 14-day judicial remand.

Kamran had opened fire in the emergency ward of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) on Wednesday night, injuring Dr Fahad, who was on duty at the time. A bullet had gone through one of the doctor's leg and pierced the other leg.

Later, a case was registered against Kamran under Section 324 of the Pakistan Penal Code, pertaining to attempted murder.

Kamran had reportedly entered the emergency ward on Wednesday night, inquiring who was on duty in the ward the previous night. When Dr Fahad expressed ignorance, the man hurled abuses at him, threatened him with dire consequences, shot him and fled.

According to the Saddar SHO, Kamran is a CTD official deputed in Civil Lines. CTD-II Civil Lines In-charge Inspector Raja Umar Khattab claimed that the detained cop has a mental health condition and had been unwell for the past few days.

Protest

Meanwhile, doctors at the NICVD staged a protest on Friday, demanding a transparent investigation of the incident.

Claiming that certain factions had been campaigning against doctors for the past few months, the protesters called for enhanced security for healthcare professionals and action against those responsible for assaults on doctors.

Speaking at the demonstration, Dr Naveed Shaikh observed that every other person was now accusing doctors of diagnosing even non-infected patients as having the coronavirus, adding that this "brainwashing" had provoked people into commiting violence against doctors.

The protesters warned that if this trend continued, they would be compelled to leave the country.

They also censured Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Pakistan Peoples Party chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for their silence over the matter, despite having mentioned NICVD's progress as one of their achievements multiple times. 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 20^th, 2020.