Alleged police torture: PHC cancels doctor’s transfer orders
Doctor was told to change the post-mortem report.
The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has set aside transfer orders of a doctor in Mardan, who was transferred after he refused to prepare a fake postmortem report.
The posting orders for the medical superintendent (MS) of the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital Mardan, Dr Muhammad Tahir, were issued by the provincial health department.
Tahir was told to prepare the fake report to save the police department in the case of allegedly killing a 14-year-old boy, Akhtar Ali, in police custody. The orders were given by the deputy inspector general of police and the commissioner of Mardan division. “I refused to compile a fake post-mortem report to save the culprits.
I have taken an oath to serve people, not officials,” Tahir said. During the PHC hearing on Monday, Dr Tahir approached the court against his transfer. Ali, a resident of Chandani Chowk Shergarh, was arrested after an FIR was registered against him and his friend on August 21.
They were accused of stealing two cell phones, a pistol, Rs22, 000 in cash and gold from their neighbour’s house. When family members had gone to visit Ali at the police station, they found him unconscious. They alleged that he had been tortured by the police, which later resulted in his death.
The initial postmortem report showed signs of strangulation. Statements of Ali’s parents were recorded after a judicial inquiry and the court ordered a second post-mortem in the presence of a judicial officer.
The court had taken his parent’s consent for the exhumation. Tahir told The Express Tribune that he was asked to conduct the second post-mortem, which revealed that Ali’s death occurred due to torture. The DIG and the commissioner, however, asked him change the findings of the report.
The bench later summoned the special secretary for health, Noorul Iman, by phone. CJ Khan asked him to withdraw the transfer orders and restore Tahir to his original post.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 11th, 2012.
The posting orders for the medical superintendent (MS) of the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital Mardan, Dr Muhammad Tahir, were issued by the provincial health department.
Tahir was told to prepare the fake report to save the police department in the case of allegedly killing a 14-year-old boy, Akhtar Ali, in police custody. The orders were given by the deputy inspector general of police and the commissioner of Mardan division. “I refused to compile a fake post-mortem report to save the culprits.
I have taken an oath to serve people, not officials,” Tahir said. During the PHC hearing on Monday, Dr Tahir approached the court against his transfer. Ali, a resident of Chandani Chowk Shergarh, was arrested after an FIR was registered against him and his friend on August 21.
They were accused of stealing two cell phones, a pistol, Rs22, 000 in cash and gold from their neighbour’s house. When family members had gone to visit Ali at the police station, they found him unconscious. They alleged that he had been tortured by the police, which later resulted in his death.
The initial postmortem report showed signs of strangulation. Statements of Ali’s parents were recorded after a judicial inquiry and the court ordered a second post-mortem in the presence of a judicial officer.
The court had taken his parent’s consent for the exhumation. Tahir told The Express Tribune that he was asked to conduct the second post-mortem, which revealed that Ali’s death occurred due to torture. The DIG and the commissioner, however, asked him change the findings of the report.
The bench later summoned the special secretary for health, Noorul Iman, by phone. CJ Khan asked him to withdraw the transfer orders and restore Tahir to his original post.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 11th, 2012.