PESHAWAR
The provincial Young Doctors Association (YDA) has held the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government responsible for the murder of Dr. Mehwish in Kohat, citing the lack of basic facilities in hospitals and inadequate protection for doctors.
Speaking at a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club (PPC) here on Tuesday, YDA provincial president Dr. Asfandyar Bettani said that had the Kohat hospital been properly equipped, the tragic incident could have been avoided. He described the government’s policies over the past 12 years as “focused on paperwork and photo sessions,” while patients and doctors continue to suffer from shortages of beds, equipment, and security.
Dr. Asfandyar detailed that Dr. Mehwish had advised patients’ relatives to remain patient while awaiting care, but three hours later, when medical attention was finally provided, she was shot on her way home. He criticized the provincial government for failing to implement the Doctors Protection Act and accused officials of ignoring repeated pleas for improved hospital facilities.
He also alleged that the Chief Minister and ruling party leaders prioritize personal and political interests over governance, highlighting the alleged corruption of certain hospital officials. “Doctors are forced to pick up dead bodies daily due to the government’s failed policies,” he said, adding that security measures for healthcare staff remain inadequate.
The YDA demanded the immediate arrest of Dr. Mehwish’s killers and called for visible action to ensure no doctor is targeted in the future. Dr. Asfandyar warned that if demands for hospital reforms and protection of medical staff are not met, the association’s sit-ins and protests will be staged outside the Chief Minister House in Peshawar and Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.
He urged the provincial government to provide basic facilities in all public hospitals, implement the Doctors Protection Act, and recognize doctors’ rights to ensure patient care and staff safety in the future.
