KOHAT: Staff members of the KDA Divisional Headquarters Hospital and representatives of the Young Doctors’ Association (YDA) on Monday staged a protest against the killing of a woman doctor outside the facility.
Dr Mehwish Hasnain was shot dead late Sunday while heading home after completing her shift at the KDA hospital.
Police said an FIR had been registered against unidentified suspects in connection with the murder.
Demonstrators blocked KDA Road, demanding the immediate arrest of the assailant and enhanced security for medical staff.
Protesters claimed that Dr Mehwish was allegedly shot by an attendant whom she had earlier asked to vacate an area designated for female patients.
DPO says three teams formed to arrest killer
Hafeez Orakzai, spokesperson for the YDA’s provincial chapter, said the doctor had left the hospital alone, treating the earlier altercation as minor.
“When Dr Mehwish was shot multiple times by the same visitor outside the hospital, she died on the spot,” he said.
He added that staff suspended services at three major hospitals in the city KDA Hospital, Liaquat Women and Children’s Hospital, and the Dental Hospital in protest.
“Only emergency care will be provided to visitors until the killer is arrested,” he said.
However, emergency services resumed later at the request of District Police Officer Shahbaz Khan, providing relief to patients arriving from Orakzai, Kurram, Hangu and Karak districts.
Mr Hafeez described the incident as the second of its kind in Kohat and alleged that hospital visitors frequently assaulted staff in emergency wards, departments and laboratories.
When approached, the DPO confirmed that three teams had been constituted to apprehend the suspect(s) and said he was personally overseeing the operation.
Funeral prayers for the slain doctor were offered at Sava Lakh graveyard on Monday, attended by her colleagues as well as civil and police officials.
The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Pakistan condemned the killing, saying it was not an isolated case.
“Repeated incidents of violence against women doctors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa point to systemic gaps in workplace safety, security enforcement and institutional accountability. Such acts endanger healthcare workers and undermine public confidence in essential medical services,” the society said in a statement.
It called on the government to ensure a transparent and time-bound investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice, implement strict security arrangements at public health facilities, and develop a policy to prevent workplace violence in healthcare settings, with particular attention to protecting women professionals.
“Violence justified under the guise of ego or so-called honour has no place in a lawful society.”
The society urged authorities to guarantee justice and meaningful protection for medical staff.
