While taking notice of the shootout in Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) which took lives of two women, Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Sunday ordered an enquiry into the incident and suspension of the police official who was on duty with the kidnapper, Rana Sarwart. In the late hours of Saturday, two armed men entered the high security area of the government-run hospital with a motive to attack Rana Sarwart, an accused of kidnapping for ransom, who was under treatment in the hospital. As the accused was admitted to the VIP ward next to the ward No 9, the attackers mistakenly attacked the ward No 9 and opened indiscriminate fire, resulting in the killing of two women, including the Establishment Division joint secretary’s mother, Saleha Bibi, 93, leaving a question mark on the performance of the law-enforcement agencies.
After the incident, the interior minister ordered an inquiry into the incident from the Islamabad IGP and the chief commissioner. In their report, both the high-ups submitted that Rana Sarwart was under arrest in a case of kidnapping for ransom.
Although he was granted bail from a lower court, the accused was still under arrest due to non-submission of surety bonds. The minister was informed that the court had also directed the police to carry out trial of the prisoner in jail but it was not understood why he was shifted to PIMS.
Malik also sought a report from the PIMS administration why they had admitted the accused without getting thorough information about him. He directed the police high-ups to suspend the official concerned for his negligence toward security.
However, the police sources said that Rana Muhammad Sarwart was admitted to the PIMS on December 13 after he was injured in an attack in the district courts. The accused escaped two attacks and this was the third attack on him.
