Doctors assess terrorism convict’s age

A special medical board assesses whether the convict is a juvenile or adult.

LAHORE: A special medical board consisting of nine doctors examined a convicted terrorist on Saturday, on the orders of an anti-terrorism court, to assess whether he is a juvenile or adult. The results are expected on Monday.

Professor Javed Akram, head of the board and chief executive of Jinnah Hospital, told The Express Tribune that Muhammad Shahbaz alias Niaz had been given an MRI, 22 x-rays to his skeletal system and an orthopantomogram, a special dental x-ray.

He said Shahbaz’s defence lawyer had asked the court to set up a special board to examine his client, who is imprisoned in Kot Lakhpat Jail.

The court had earlier directed the medical boards of Service Hospital and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital to examine Shahbaz, but the defence counsel objected and sought the formation of a special medical board.

The special board visited Shahbaz under his lawyer’s supervision in Kot Lakhpat jail a few days ago, but the lawyer again objected, demanding that Shahbaz be given medical tests that can only be conducted with specialist equipment at a hospital.

He was then brought to and examined in Jinnah Hospital on Saturday.

Shahbaz was convicted of involvement in the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore in March 2009, when a dozen gunmen shot at and threw grenades at the team bus, killing seven policemen and wounding six players, a British coach and a Pakistani umpire.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 10^th, 2010.