Doctor's murder shuts Kohat hospitals

KOHAT:

Medical services across hospitals in Kohat were suspended following the tragic murder of a female doctor, triggering widespread protests by young doctors demanding immediate arrest of the killers.

Dr Mehwish Hasnain, a lady doctor serving at the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital, was shot dead by unidentified assailants while returning home after completing her duty. The incident occurred on the double road in the Kohat Development Authority (KDA) area, near the hospital premises. Reports indicate that the attackers opened indiscriminate fire on her as she traveled in a rickshaw, killing her on the spot before fleeing the scene.

The killing, which stemmed from a minor altercation during duty, where an attendant reportedly blocked her path and then shot her, prompted immediate backlash from the medical community. The Young Doctors Association (YDA) Kohat, along with support from doctors in Bannu and other areas, declared a 'Black Ribbon Day' and suspended emergency and routine services in hospitals province-wide in protest.

Doctors, including a large number of colleagues, gathered at hospitals and vowed that both public hospitals and private clinics would remain closed until the perpetrators are arrested and brought to justice. YDA leaders emphasized that they would not remain silent until Dr Mehwish's killers face punishment, warning of a full provincial boycott of services if demands were not met.