The eyes in the sky: Court orders CEOs of three hospitals to submit report on CCTV installation

LRH head summoned to explain lax monitoring despite murder on hospital premises.

PESHAWAR: Heads of the three tertiary care hospitals in the province were told by the Peshawar High Court to submit reports on the installation of CCTV cameras at entry and exit points, gynaecology wards and labour rooms.

In addition to the directives given to the chief executive officers (CEO) of the Lady Reading Hospital (LRH), Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH) and Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC), the court on Wednesday also asked the LRH CEO to attend the next hearing.



The CEO has been ordered to explain his failure in installing the required number of cameras at necessary points in the hospital.

The lack of well-positioned CCTVs was pointed out during the investigation of Noor Bibi’s death in the Accidents and Emergency ward on March 27.

Behind Noor Bibi’s death

The bench – Chief Justice Dost Muhammad Khan and Justice Musarrat Hilali – issued the order after investigation officer Mirza Khan noted the culprit could have been caught on camera on March 27 if CCTVs were positioned correctly.

“Jamshed, the accused, brought the girl to the hospital under the pretext of getting her treated so no one would suspect he was kidnapping her. He took her to the second floor, killed her and then set her body on fire,” the investigation officer told the court.

The head of security at the time was facing a shortage of staff and was unable to check each person entering the hospital, the court was informed. The existing cameras had not been set to record footage. The bench was also informed no one else is believed to have facilitated Jamshed in the murder of Noor Bibi.



“The report submitted to the court is comprehensive and was compiled after a thorough inquiry. There is no need to further probe the issue of who facilitated him in the crime,” said CJ Khan in his verdict.

The verdict further directs the LRH CEO to install CCTVs on all entry and exits; newborn and gynaecology wards; and labour rooms. Similar notices were issued to the KTH and HMC CEOs. A failure to submit reports will result in a show-cause notice. The report should contain floor plans for the camera installation and be presented at the next hearing on October 2.

The PHC took suo motu notice on the murder of Noor Bibi soon after the reports surfaced. The killer was later arrested and has been in jail since then.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 12^th, 2013.