KIHD staffers harass Express News crew

Female reporter, coverage team held hostage for calling out negligence

KARACHI:

Hospital staff at the Karachi Institute of Heart Disease (KIHD) took a team of reporters from Express News hostage during coverage on Monday.

According to details, a team of Express News reporters reached the KIHD, including a female reporter. A female reporter heading the team was harassed during the incident, while the staff at the public health facility threatened the Express News team There were reports of irregularities at KIHD, a public hospital run under Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) in Federal B Area Block 16.

Express News reported the irregularities happening at the hospital many times in the past few months. Still, nothing changed due to the hospital administration’s criminal negligence, indifference and carelessness.

The health facility staff resorted to hooliganism and kept the entire team hostage for hours, including the female reporter of Express News. The goons of the KIHD administration also threatened the media team with dire consequences.

KIHD Director Dr Rafat Sultana was involved and kept giving orders to the staff. Because of the worsening situation, Express News immediately sought help from the police authorities. A squad of police reached the spot and escorted the Express News team out of the hospital.

Once the staff was brought to the police station, their attitude changed, and they started begging for forgiveness and reconciliation. They submitted a written apology at the police station.

Meanwhile, KMC officials have assured that its staffers Salman Khaliq and Moiz will be suspended so that such incidents are not repeated in the future.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 27^th, 2022.