Ziauddin Hospital moves court over Rangers’ raids

Karachi
The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday issued notices to Sindh advocate general, DG Rangers and others on Dr Ziauddin Hospital administration’s petition against continuous raids at the branches of the medical facility by the paramilitary force.
Management of the Dr Ziauddin Hospital submitted in the petition that following the 90-day detention of Dr Asim Hussain, chairman of the Dr Ziauddin Group of Hospitals, under anti-terrorism laws, Rangers personnel were continuously conducting raids and harassing the management and staff of the hospitals.
Petitioner’s counsel Anwar Mansoor Khan maintained that Rangers personnel took the chief operating officer of the hospital, Dr Yousuf Sattar, following a raid and later released him after interrogation.
The counsel also complained of several hospital documents being taken into possession by the officials, including billing records of patients referred to the hospital through the Muttahida Quami Movement’s headquarter, Nine Zero.
The counsel argued the raids were unlawful while the Rangers personnel were liable to be prosecuted under the law.
The court was prayed to order a registration of an FIR against the personnel for conducting raids and direct the paramilitary force to return the documents and other data of the hospital.
SHC’s division bench headed by Justice Sajjad Ali Shah issued notices to the secretary interior, home department and DG Rangers for September 23 and directed the respondents to act strictly in accordance with the law.

Dr Asim medical care
The Rangers sector commander was issued a notice, by the SHC, over a contempt of court application filed by Dr Asim Hussain’s spouse against Rangers personnel for not providing medical facilities to Dr Hussain despite court orders.
Applicant Zareen Hussain submitted in the application that the court had directed the Rangers to provide medical facilities and medication to Dr Hussain, including getting his MRI and other medical tests done in the presence of his spouse or daughter.
However, the sector commander of the Abdullah Shah Ghazi Rangers had allegedly deprived the detainee of proper medication because of which his health was deteriorating.
Dr Hussain was taken into custody on August 26 on charges of alleged terror-financing, ‘china cutting’ and other awarding illegal licenses to CNG station during his stint as petroleum minister during the Pakistan Peoples’ Party government.
Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, heading the SHC bench, after preliminary hearing of the petition issued notices to sector commander of Abdullah Shah Ghazi Rangers and adjourned the hearing for September 23.