City loses yet another doctor

A doctor is shot dead in Orangi Town, the ninth member of the medical fraternity to fall prey to target killings.

KARACHI: A doctor was shot dead in Orangi Town on Saturday, the ninth member of the medical fraternity to fall prey to target killings in the city since May.

According to the police, Dr Khursheed Ahmed was shot dead at his clinic in Liaquat Market located in Orangi Town 11½.

Similar to other incidents of target killings, the unidentified assailants arrived at the spot on a motorcycle, shot the doctor and escaped.

Dr Ahmed was rushed to Aga Khan hospital, but he died during treatment.

“We believe it is target killing since no else at the spot was attacked,” SHO Liaquat Ali.

The doctor ran the Dr Raheela Khursheed Maternity Home and Clinic and was a father of three.

The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has condemned the incident and criticised the law enforcement agencies for their failure to stop the killings of doctors.

“We have written applications to the president, governor, chief minister and high-ups of the city police about the situation in the city, but the situation still remains the same,” PMA President Idrees Adhi told The Express Tribune.

Four months back when the wave of violence against doctors started, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad had held a meeting with PMA office-bearers and police high-ups and decided to set up a special unit of police to provide protection to doctors remain in contact with the PMA

SSP Khurram Waris was appointed as the incharge of that unit. However, the PMA says that the unit has failed to achieve its goal.

“We have seen no development after the establishment of that unit,” said Dr Adhi, adding, “Doctors are still being killed and the murderers are roaming freely.”

The PMA executive body held a meeting on Saturday to condemn the murder and discuss the future course of action.

However, SSP Waris did not attend the meeting.

SSP Waris told The Express Tribune that police are investigating whether Dr Ahmed’s murder was linked to sectarian violence or not. “We are focusing on this aspect as well,” he said.

However, the PMA ruled out such a possibility.  “The doctors are being targeted and this has nothing to do with sectarian violence,” Dr Adhi said.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 26^th, 2010.