Prominent doctor killed in targeted attack at Sargodha hospital

Reputed physician Dr Sheikh Ahmad Mahmood was shot dead on Friday inside Sargodha’s Fatima Hospital in what appears to be a targeted attack. He was 58.

Dr Mahmood, a general physician and gastroenterology specialist belonging to the minority Ahmadiyya community, is survived by his mother, wife, two daughters and two sons. He remained associated with several private and charitable healthcare institutions, most recently offering services at Fatima Hospital under a welfare initiative.

According to police reports, the gunman arrived at the hospital dressed in the uniform of “Clean Punjab Program” staff, purchased a check-up slip and waited inside the hospital.

As soon as Dr Mahmood stepped out of his office, the attacker opened fire with a handgun, shooting him in the back and abdomen, critically damaging his internal organs. He was rushed to the District Headquarters Teaching Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. The attacker fled the scene after the fatal shooting.

CCTV footage shows the doctor lying injured on the hospital floor while staff, visibly panicked and distressed, scrambling to call for an ambulance.

Sargodha DPO Muhammad Sohaib Ashraf, along with SP Investigation and SP Headquarters, arrived at the scene as police launched an investigation into the incident. Authorities have pledged that the perpetrator will be arrested soon.

Dr Mahmood was widely regarded as one of Sargodha’s most experienced physicians. With over 31 years of experience, he had previously served at the Sadiq Hospital and was known for providing free treatment to underprivileged patients. 

Sources reveal that Dr Mahmood had received threats in the past due to his religious affiliation. These threats reportedly forced him to resign from a previous institution, though his commitment to serving humanity eventually brought him back to practice.