Hospital staff demand justice and enhanced security following the killing of Dr Mehwish Hasnain
KOHAT: Doctors and staff at the KDA Divisional Headquarters Hospital, joined by members of the Young Doctors’ Association (YDA), staged a protest Monday over the fatal shooting of Dr Mehwish Hasnain. The female physician was shot outside the hospital late Sunday after finishing her duties.
Protesters blocked KDA Road, demanding the immediate arrest of the assailant and stricter security for hospital personnel. Colleagues said Dr Mehwish was targeted by a visitor whom she had asked to leave a women-only area.
According to Hafeez Orakzai, provincial spokesman for the YDA, hospital services were suspended at three major facilities, including KDA Hospital, Liaquat Women and Children’s Hospital, and the Dental Hospital, with only emergency care maintained. District Police Officer Shahbaz Khan confirmed three teams had been formed to track down the killer. Dr Mehwish was laid to rest at Sava Lakh graveyard, attended by colleagues and officials.
The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Pakistan condemned the killing, calling for transparent investigations, strict hospital security, and policies to prevent workplace violence, particularly against female doctors. PPPP spokesperson Shazia Marri also demanded urgent action, stressing the need for protection of women doctors serving under challenging conditions.
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