Rangers detain Ziauddin Hospital’s deputy MS

Karachi
Rangers rounded up the deputy medical superintendent of the Ziauddin Hospital in Nazimabad and the maintenance in-charge of its Clifton branch on Saturday, also taking away the documents and data of the two medical facilities’ finance and IT departments.
Besides detaining Ziauddin Hospital, Nazimabad’s deputy medical superintendent Dr Yousuf Sattar, the paramilitary force also took into custody the records of CCTV footage there.
The action against the Ziauddin Hospital has been under way for the last four days following the arrest of Dr Asim Hussain, the chairman of the Dr Ziauddin Group of Hospitals and a former petroleum adviser to the prime minister.
Hussain was remanded in Rangers custody for 90 days for probing into the allegations against him including money laundering, China-cutting of land, financially supporting terrorists and illegally issuing licences for unlawful CNG stations across Sindh.
The Sindh chief minister had expressed his displeasure over the detention of Hussain, who is a close friend of Pakistan People’s Party co-chairman and former president of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari.
Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah said the Rangers director general should have informed him about the decision to arrest Hussain before going ahead with it.
Earlier, Sui Southern Gas Company deputy managing director Shoaib Warsi, former managing director Zohaib Siddiqui and another employee, Kamran Ahmed, who were rounded up in connection with Hussain’s case, were also remanded in Rangers custody for 90 days.
On Friday evening, SSGC chief financial officer Amin Rajput too was detained by the law enforcement agencies. – Online

Dr Asim’s medical report
The Sindh Rangers on Saturday claimed that Dr Asim Hussain was medically fit and “quite well”, our correspondent writes.
The Rangers’ lawyer in a report submitted to the anti-terrorism court hearing cases against Dr Asim of an examination conducted by the deputy assistant director medical services on Saturday, stated the blood sugar levels of Sindh Higher Education Commission chairman were normal and there was no need to admit him in a hospital. The report declared Dr Asim to be medically fit while assuring the court that he was being provided complete medical assistance.
Former adviser to prime minister on petroleum and natural resources and a close aide of former president Asif Ali Zardari, Dr Asim had been arrested by the Rangers on Wednesday, August 26. The next day he was produced before an anti-terrorism court which remanded him for 90 days into the Rangers’ custody to be interrogated about alleged misappropriation of funds and providing monetary help to criminals and terrorists.
Dr Asim’s wife, Dr Zareen, had claimed that her husband was not well and he should be admitted in a hospital. Dr Zareen had pleaded that her husband suffered from diabetes and high blood pressure, for which he relied on medication.
However, the Rangers’ counsel on Saturday submitted a report declaring the accused to medically fit and “quite well”. He said meetings of Dr Asim with the family will be arranged at the Meetha Ram Hostel.
Dr Zareen had filed an application to the Chief Justice of Sindh High Court Justice Faisal Arab challenging Dr Asim’s detention. Her application was later turned into a petition and was heard in court.
She had appeared before the high court and submitted that Dr Asim was suffering from serious ailment and required medical attention in the hospital and, therefore, he might be shifted to hospital for treatment.
She had also written a letter to the Sindh IGP Ghulam Hyder Jamali stating that her husband suffered from diabetes and high blood pressure and relied on medication. She had asked for permission to meet Dr Asim in order to monitor his health condition.
The Sindh High Court had turned down the request of former federal minister’s family for shifting him to a hospital for treatment. However, it had directed the DG Rangers to provide medical care to Dr Asim.
In the mean time, Dr Asim’s mother also filed a petition in the Sindh High Court challenging the arrest. She had argued in the petition that Dr Asim was an esteemed politician and had no criminal record, terming his detention by the law-enforcement agencies to be illegal.
Her lawyer had requested the court to issue directives for the release of Dr Asim who was innocent as he had not violated any law.
The anti-terrorism court headed by Saleem Raza Baloch had already granted permission to Dr Asim’s family to meet him on an application filed by his wife. The Rangers were directed by the court to arrange meeting of the family members.
The anti-terrorism court was informed on Saturday that Dr Asim was quite well, according to the medical report. The Rangers assured the court that all medical assistance will be provided to him.
The Rangers had claimed that the paramilitary force had credible information about Dr Asim’s involvement in terrorism-related activities and embezzlement of funds.
There are also reported of Dr Asim’s involvement in illegal occupation of government land in North Nazimabad and Clifton for the extension of both branches of Dr Ziauddin Hospital.
Dr Asim had been elected in 2008 on a seat of the National Assembly after which he served as the federal minister of petroleum and natural resources till 2012.
After the 2013 general election, Dr Asim was appointed as the chairman of Sindh Higher Education Commission.