Violent lawyers clash with doctors at PIC, thrash Fayyazul Hassan Chohan

Lawyers stormed Punjab Institute of Cardiology and clashed with doctors.

LAHORE (Dunya News) – A violent clash that erupted between hundreds of lawyers and doctors on Wednesday left three patients dead when the charged lawyers stormed into the Punjab Institute of Cardiology and broke windows of the emergency ward and several vehicles parked nearby.

Meanwhile, rangers reached at the area to prevent the situation from deteriorating further.

Lawyers went “out of control” while holding batons and sticks and broke the emergency gate of the PIC after a video that showed doctors allegedly torturing lawyers went viral on the social media.

According to the doctor in the video, a group of lawyers had gone to the inspector general and told him to charge "two doctors" under Section 7 of ATA. He narrated that the IG had refused while the lawyers had urged him to press charges, saying "they could save face" that way.

A group of doctors and lawyers started pelting stones at each other in which four people sustained injuries.

Police, who initially exchanged just harsh words and appeared helpless in resisting the charged lawyers, later resorted to tear-gas shelling to disperse them.

 Unacceptable attitude 

Later, while talking to the media, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan had earlier said that there was a report of four patients losing their life when the lawyers attacked the hospital. 

According to reports, patients were in critical condition and were left attended after the lawyers barged inside emergency wards.

The PIC paramedics and physicians halted treatment of patients, and rushed out from the hospital premises for saving their lives.

An elderly female patient Gulshan Bibi died when doctors had left the ward during the clash. Other patients seemed in a state of fear and panic.

Patients, some in ambulances, were unable to reach the hospital while those receiving treatment were left unattended due to the chaos.

In a tweet she said: "Breaking the Law is not acceptable at any cost."

"The manhandling of provincial minister Fayyazul Hassan Chauhan, vandalism and harassment of poor patients and their attendants is extremely condemnable and regrettable." "Those who wear the uniform of law will have to obey the law."

Police detain lawyers

Later, policemen arrested 18 lawyers including three female lawyers. Subsequently, lawyers in groups gathered at different main roads of the city and blocked them. This led to major traffic jams in the vicinity of Mall Road, GPO Chowk and Civil Secretariat Stop.

Moreover, Metro Bus Service has been halted citing security concerns when a group of lawyers stopped a metro bus on its route. Authorities are directed to park the buses at Shahdara and Gajju Mata stops as they had already burnt a police van.

Fayyaz Chohan manhandled by lawyers

Upon arrival at the hospital, Provincial Information and Culture Minister Fayyaz-ul-Hassan Chohan was also beaten by lawyers when he tried to persuade them from “taking the law into their own hands.”

In his talk to the media after the incident, he said that "lawyers had tried to kidnap" him. In a video, he can be seen being manhandled by a group of protesting lawyers.

He stated that a stern action would be taken against those who were responsible for taking the law into their hands.

PM Imran Khan orders probe

Prime Minister Imran Khan, soon after the incident was reported, took notice and ordered Punjab Chief Secretary (CS) Azam Suleiman Khan and Inspector General Police (IGP) Shoaib Dastagir to submit a report on the priority basis.

CM Buzdar takes notice

Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has taken notice of the incident and has sought an initial report immediately from the Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO). Mr Buzdar stated that nobody was above the Law and such incident in the medical facility for heart patients was unbearable.

Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmeen Rashid has arrived at the hospital to prevent the situation from deteriorating further. Punjab Bar Council Vice Chairman Ismail Shah Nawaz also took notice of the riot by the lawyers at the hospital.

On Nov. 25, the police added anti-terrorism and attempt to murder sections to the First Investigation Report (FIR) lodged against attacking doctors and paramedics of the PIC for allegedly torturing and injuring some lawyers on the premises of the health facility.

Sections 7-ATA and 324 of the PPC were added after scores of lawyers gathered outside the Central Police Office and lodged a strong protest. They staged a sit-in and accused the police of giving favour to the attacking medics by lodging a “weak case” into the incident in which their colleagues suffered critical injuries.

The lawyers alleged the suspects held them hostage on the premises of the health center and subjected them to torture for complaining about delayed treatment to a patient.

On the same day, the lawyers had also lodged a protest demonstration outside the Lahore Press Club.

Contrarily, the doctors and paramedics had also observed a strike at the PIC, giving a warning that they would expand scope of protest in case of arrest of any of their colleagues.

More to follow