Three days after the killing of a female doctor in Pakistan’s northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, police have yet to arrest the suspect, authorities said on Wednesday.
Dr. Mahwish Hasnain was allegedly shot dead by a patient’s attendant, who got triggered by a routine instruction to wait outside the ward. The attack has raised fresh concerns over the safety of healthcare workers in the region.
Speaking to Nukta, the victim’s cousin, Hammad Khan, said Mahwish was on duty at a hospital in Kohat when the incident happened.
According to him, an attendant attempted to enter a female ward and was asked by the doctor to wait outside. “There was a brief exchange of words, which appeared to anger the attendant,” Khan said, adding that the suspect later followed Dr. Mahwish as she left for home after completing her shift.
Khan alleged that his cousin was traveling in a rickshaw when the accused intercepted the vehicle and opened fire.
“After the initial shots, she began screaming. Believing she was still alive, the attacker fired multiple additional rounds,” he said, claiming the assailant fled the scene after fatally wounding her.
Medics on strike
Doctors’ associations across the province have launched province-wide protests, suspending elective services at public hospitals in a show of solidarity and demanding swift justice for Dr. Mahwish.
Dr. Asfandyar Battani, President of the Young Doctors Association, told Nukta that police had acknowledged the suspect was the same individual who had earlier confronted Dr. Mahwish at the hospital, yet no arrest has been made.
“Kohat is considered a sensitive district, with police deployed at multiple checkpoints. Where were the police when the accused opened fire on the main road?” he asked.
Battani said the strike would continue until the alleged killer is apprehended. “If doctors are not safe while performing their duties, how can we continue to work under such conditions? We need protection,” he said, urging authorities to ensure security for healthcare workers.
Police investigation
Shehbaz Elahi, District Police Officer (DPO), said authorities have formally registered a complaint, and an investigation has been launched into the killing. "Police teams are carrying out targeted raids in an effort to track down and arrest the suspect," he added.
Chief Minister Sohail Afridi also pledged swift action, vowing that the accused would be apprehended and subjected to exemplary punishment. He said the government is committed to ensuring accountability and preventing such incidents from recurring.
Government steps
A meeting was convened under Provincial Health Minister Khaliq-ur-Rehman and Health Secretary Shahidullah Khan to assess the law and order situation following Dr. Mahwish’s killing.
Rehman condemned the murder, expressing full solidarity with the medical community and calling the attack “deeply tragic and unacceptable”.
He instructed authorities to register a departmental FIR under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) and assured that the family would receive compensation as per the government’s Shuhada (martyrs’) package.
The meeting also called for the urgent implementation of the Health Care Security Act and decided to conduct a comprehensive review of security arrangements at all public hospitals across the province.
Comments
See what people are discussing