The Punjab Institute of Cardiology was stormed by an angry mob of lawyers, who not only damaged hospital property and operating machinery, but also attacked doctors, nurses, patients and even journalists present at the scene.
A police vehicle was set on fire while Punjab Information Minister Fayyaz Chohan, who had gone to PIC to negotiate with the lawyers, was violently attacked and there was an alleged attempt to kidnap him.
The lawyers had attacked the hospital owing to an earlier dispute between PIC doctors and lawyers that had occurred some time earlier.
According to a report in BBC, a few days earlier, some lawyers had gone to the hospital to receive treatment. They had subsequently asked for free medicines from the hospital staff. When the hospital staff refused to entertain their request, a fight broke out whereby hospital administration and doctors beat up the lawyers. There have been videos doing the rounds on social media today, with people attributing the incident shown in the video as being the reason for today’s violence.
https://twitter.com/ahmadwaqas6/status/1204716525959163904?s=20
Moreover, according to a report in Dawn, the earlier fight between doctors and lawyers, which took place in November, had led to three lawyers being brutally tortured and cases being registered against 12 doctors and paramedics.
According to a journalist, following the fight, cases had been filed and the doctors had issued an apology.
https://twitter.com/OhTripe/status/1204725276359512065?s=20
Media reports have said that there were to be negotiations between PIC’s administration and the doctors on Wednesday morning. It is yet unclear what transpired during those negotiations but according to BBC’s report, both parties have alleged that they were attacked first.
Following this breakdown in negotiations, lawyers entered the hospital building in huge numbers and commenced with their attack on hospital staff, doctors and even patients. Vehicles inside the hospital were damaged while hospital equipment was destroyed. Police were unable to contain the crowd.
https://twitter.com/MuhammadAttiqH/status/1204699536209383424?s=20
https://twitter.com/NaikRooh/status/1204697116842610688?s=20
It was also reported that doctors and staff fled the hospital, while patients were left on their own. Many had to immediately leave the hospital and seek help somewhere else. There were also reports of patients passing away due to non-availability of medical staff.
https://twitter.com/bilalfqi/status/1204713351164637184?s=20
https://twitter.com/FaisalViewss/status/1204711669617836033?s=20
Following the attack, deputy commissioner Lahore and deputy inspector general of police reached the hospital with heavy contingents of police.
The lawyers have left the PIC premises and are currently protesting at GPO Chowk on the Mall Road while police have cordoned off Jail Road and Mall Road. Reportedly, a few lawyers remaining near the hospital have been attacked by the general public.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has ordered the formation of an investigation committee under Law Minister Raja Basharat, Provincial Health Minister Yasmin Rashid and inspector general of police.
The committee will investigate the incident and submit a report to the chief minister.
A police vehicle was set on fire while Punjab Information Minister Fayyaz Chohan, who had gone to PIC to negotiate with the lawyers, was violently attacked and there was an alleged attempt to kidnap him.
The lawyers had attacked the hospital owing to an earlier dispute between PIC doctors and lawyers that had occurred some time earlier.
According to a report in BBC, a few days earlier, some lawyers had gone to the hospital to receive treatment. They had subsequently asked for free medicines from the hospital staff. When the hospital staff refused to entertain their request, a fight broke out whereby hospital administration and doctors beat up the lawyers. There have been videos doing the rounds on social media today, with people attributing the incident shown in the video as being the reason for today’s violence.
https://twitter.com/ahmadwaqas6/status/1204716525959163904?s=20
Moreover, according to a report in Dawn, the earlier fight between doctors and lawyers, which took place in November, had led to three lawyers being brutally tortured and cases being registered against 12 doctors and paramedics.
According to a journalist, following the fight, cases had been filed and the doctors had issued an apology.
https://twitter.com/OhTripe/status/1204725276359512065?s=20
Media reports have said that there were to be negotiations between PIC’s administration and the doctors on Wednesday morning. It is yet unclear what transpired during those negotiations but according to BBC’s report, both parties have alleged that they were attacked first.
Following this breakdown in negotiations, lawyers entered the hospital building in huge numbers and commenced with their attack on hospital staff, doctors and even patients. Vehicles inside the hospital were damaged while hospital equipment was destroyed. Police were unable to contain the crowd.
https://twitter.com/MuhammadAttiqH/status/1204699536209383424?s=20
https://twitter.com/NaikRooh/status/1204697116842610688?s=20
It was also reported that doctors and staff fled the hospital, while patients were left on their own. Many had to immediately leave the hospital and seek help somewhere else. There were also reports of patients passing away due to non-availability of medical staff.
https://twitter.com/bilalfqi/status/1204713351164637184?s=20
https://twitter.com/FaisalViewss/status/1204711669617836033?s=20
Following the attack, deputy commissioner Lahore and deputy inspector general of police reached the hospital with heavy contingents of police.
The lawyers have left the PIC premises and are currently protesting at GPO Chowk on the Mall Road while police have cordoned off Jail Road and Mall Road. Reportedly, a few lawyers remaining near the hospital have been attacked by the general public.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has ordered the formation of an investigation committee under Law Minister Raja Basharat, Provincial Health Minister Yasmin Rashid and inspector general of police.
The committee will investigate the incident and submit a report to the chief minister.