Pims spokesperson removed

Dr Waseem Khawaja allegedly revealed sensitive information about Sikandar’s health to media.

ISLAMABAD:

The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) administration on Tuesday issued a notification stating that Dr Waseem Khawaja has been removed from his position as the hospital’s official spokesperson.

Pims sources, while speaking to The Express Tribune, said Khawaja has been removed from his position owing to sensitive information he has been revealing to the media --- an allegation Khawaja has denied --- about Muhammad Sikandar, the gunman involved in the five-hour Jinnah Avenue standoff with the police last week.

He was also warned for granting media persons access to the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit, where Sikandar has been admitted, to take pictures of the gunman, they added.

On the other hand, Dr Khawaja who is serving as a gastroenterologist at Pims, said he was not informed about the reason behind his removal.

He added he had been receiving threatening calls from an unknown number on his personal landline.

The callers had instructed him to feign the lab reports of Sikandar and his wife, he said. Khawaja said he had also been warned against sharing information about Sikandar’s health condition with media personnel.

Khawaja served as the Pims spokesperson for the past six years and this is not the first time he has been removed from the post.

Dr Ayesha has been appointed the new Pims spokesperson.

Pims acting chief Professor Mehmood Jamal could not be reached despite several attempts to contact him.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 21^st, 2013.