Pims shooting: Inquiry blames police for lapse in security
Hospital’s report suggests separate ward for prisoners, high profile cases.
ISLAMABAD:
An inquiry report into a fatal shooting at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) on Saturday blamed the police for the security lapse.
The report said that the police were responsible for the prisoner’s security as the guards at the hospital are not equipped with weapons.
An elderly woman and her daughter were killed as two attackers stormed the room next that of murder suspect Rana Sarwat, who was the target. The attack was carried out in the VIP ward of the hospital.
In a letter written to the Inspector General of Police Bani Amin, the hospital authorities maintained that the police were responsible for providing adequate security to the patient, as “they (the police) were well aware of the fact that the hospital has multiple entries and its security staff is not equipped with weapons.”
An official at the hospital who wished not to be named said the security guards deployed at the hospital are not trained to handle weapons.
“We maintain a patient-friendly environment and cannot afford to weaponise security staff,” he said.
In the letter, a copy of which was sent to the Capital Administration and Development Division secretary, the management has suggested to establish a separate ward in the hospital for under-trial prisoners and other high profile cases. The police and jail authorities would be solely responsible for the patients’ security in the ward, says the letter.
“We do not want to mix regular patients with high profile police cases, which put lives at risk,” said another official.
The officials responsible for security, who were also involved in the inquiry, shared the police’s view that the assailants’ target was Sarwat, admitted to Room 9 of the VIP ward. They mistakenly targeted Room 8, killing two women and injuring another. The family of the victims said they have no enmity with anyone.
Sarwat, who was earlier attacked by a gunman in the district courts premises last month, has survived three attacks so far. None of the attackers in any of the attacks could be traced by the police. However, the Margalla police maintained they had received important clues in the investigation of the killings at Pims, and would get to the suspects ‘soon’. However, no arrests were made till the filing of this report.
Another inquiry initiated on the orders of Interior Minister Rehman Malik was told to submit its findings by Tuesday, but is yet to release its report as “police are still investigating”, according to a police official.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 19th, 2012.
An inquiry report into a fatal shooting at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) on Saturday blamed the police for the security lapse.
The report said that the police were responsible for the prisoner’s security as the guards at the hospital are not equipped with weapons.
An elderly woman and her daughter were killed as two attackers stormed the room next that of murder suspect Rana Sarwat, who was the target. The attack was carried out in the VIP ward of the hospital.
In a letter written to the Inspector General of Police Bani Amin, the hospital authorities maintained that the police were responsible for providing adequate security to the patient, as “they (the police) were well aware of the fact that the hospital has multiple entries and its security staff is not equipped with weapons.”
An official at the hospital who wished not to be named said the security guards deployed at the hospital are not trained to handle weapons.
“We maintain a patient-friendly environment and cannot afford to weaponise security staff,” he said.
In the letter, a copy of which was sent to the Capital Administration and Development Division secretary, the management has suggested to establish a separate ward in the hospital for under-trial prisoners and other high profile cases. The police and jail authorities would be solely responsible for the patients’ security in the ward, says the letter.
“We do not want to mix regular patients with high profile police cases, which put lives at risk,” said another official.
The officials responsible for security, who were also involved in the inquiry, shared the police’s view that the assailants’ target was Sarwat, admitted to Room 9 of the VIP ward. They mistakenly targeted Room 8, killing two women and injuring another. The family of the victims said they have no enmity with anyone.
Sarwat, who was earlier attacked by a gunman in the district courts premises last month, has survived three attacks so far. None of the attackers in any of the attacks could be traced by the police. However, the Margalla police maintained they had received important clues in the investigation of the killings at Pims, and would get to the suspects ‘soon’. However, no arrests were made till the filing of this report.
Another inquiry initiated on the orders of Interior Minister Rehman Malik was told to submit its findings by Tuesday, but is yet to release its report as “police are still investigating”, according to a police official.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 19th, 2012.