PMC suspends four senior doctors over ‘false post-mortem’ report

Report was challenged in three courts, including SHC Larkana but dismissed

KARACHI:

The Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) has suspended the licence of four senior doctors in Sindh for preparing a 'false post-mortem' report of the deceased Faisal Ramzan Mugheri, from Jacobabad.

In a 10-page report of the PMC available with The Express Tribune, the disciplinary committee of the PMC has also imposed a fine of Rs 500,000 on each doctor and ordered them to pay the penalty within 14 days of the decision.

According to details, Mugheri, 29, died mysteriously on 13 September 2020 in Jacobabad. On the order of the Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate Jacobabad, the Director General Health Sindh constituted a 'special medical board' which undertook the process of exhumation and the post-mortem of the deceased on 16 October 2020.

On 14 December 2020, the medical board issued a final post-mortem report, citing that the deceased was exposed to excessive alcohol and cannabis, which was the cause of death.

The report was challenged in three courts, including Sindh High Court (SHC) Larkana batch but was dismissed.

In the SHC verdict, the copy available with The Express Tribune, it was stated that: "it appears that the petitioner has no locus standing in any event. We see no reason to interfere with the post-mortem carried out by the eminent doctors."

Recently, PMC in its verdict suspended the licences for five years of Dr Ershad Kazmi (BPS 20), Dr Inyatullah Magsi (BPS 19), Dr Aman Ullah Bhutto (BPS 19) and Police Surgeon Dr Shamsuddin Khoso (BPS 19).

Commenting on the matter, Dr Ershad Kazmi said, "I have not received any copy of the decision from PMC". Rejecting the PMC report, he said that he will challenge it in court.

"The PMC ceased to exist," Dr Kazmi commented, saying it has challenged the High Court's decision.

Counsel for the complainant against the doctor Barrister Arsalan Raja said that it is a historical decision that first-time licences of the doctors have been suspended for preparing the false post-mortem report.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 30^th, 2022.