As many as 17 doctors were killed in Karachi in 2014 while 54 health practitioners had become victim of target killing incidents from 2010 to 2014, a Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) report revealed on Friday.
The majority of doctors were killed in Karachi on sectarian basis, refusal of paying extortion money, ransom, personal disputes, ethnic issues, and affiliation with political parties.
The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) report stated that 54 doctors had been killed from 2010 to 2014 in Karachi city over various issues while 17 doctors became victim of target killing incidents in 2014. The doctors killed in 2014 included Dr Asif Hasan (North Karachi), Dr Javed Kazi (KMDC), Dr Israr (MPR Colony Korangi), Dr Shukat Nayani (Ayesha Manzil), Dr Haider Raza (Dar-ul-Sahet), Dr Manzoor Memon (MLO JPMC) and Dr Hussain Ali Qureshi (Hussainabad).
The report further revealed that Dr Faisal Ali was killed in Liaquat Colony, Dr Syed Sharafat Ali in Golimar, Dr Amir Mehdi in Landhi-2, Dr Naseem Aun Jaffri in Korangi, Dr Aziz in Korangi, Dr Shafiq Khan in Qasba, Dr Rubina Khalid at DUHS Johar, Dr Ziauddin in Banaras Orangi, Dr Shamim Raza in Korangi and Dr Arif Mustafa in Buffer Zone on 20 December 2014.
The PMA report showed that 14 health practitioners were killed in 2013, 11 in 2012, four in 2011, eight in 2010. However, no data was available from 2005 to 2009.
The report stated that three doctors were killed in 2004, two in 2003, seven in 2002, 13 in 2001, six in 2000. Seven doctors were killed in 1999, four in 1998, 13 in 1997, six 1996 and eight in 1995. As per data 17 doctors became victim of target killing from 1990 to 1994. A total of 140 doctors were killed from 1990 to 2014 excluding the years from 2005 to 2009.
PMA Center Secretary General Dr Mirza Ali Azhar said the doctors of Karachi had been left on the mercy of terrorists and extortionists as 17 health practitioners were killed in various areas of city in 2014 and not a single arrest had been made so far.
He said the PMA had knocked every door to get stopped the killing of doctors in the city but unfortunately nobody was ready to play their due role in this regard. He said: “No we have lost our patience and decided to change strategy to stop doctors’ killings”.
Dr Mirza said Dr Arif Mustafa Siddiqui was killed on 20 December 2014 and Inspector General of Police Sindh took the notice and urged the Additional IG to meet PMA but unfortunately no any official contacted the PMA as yet.
Mirza lamented that no compensation had been paid to the bereaved families and no political party was ready to raise doctors’ killing issue at any platform. He said the doctors of Karachi were not orphans and the PMA would take strong action if any doctor were killed in future.
He said the PMA was considering boycotting hospitals, staging sit-ins, going on hunger strikes and will use all other available options if the killing of doctors was not stopped.
The new year began with taking the life of a doctor, as Dr Ahsan Ali, a 50-years-old pediatrician was targeted right outside his clinic near Bismillah Chowk in Saeedabad on January 1, 2015.