3 patients die as protest outside Lahore hospital turns violent

Lahore, Dec 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) Three patients died after doctors failed to provide them timely treatment due to a violent protest staged by lawyers outside Lahore's Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC).

The lawyers were protesting against a video that went viral on social media on Tuesday, in which a doctor is seen narrating an encounter with some lawyers in front of a group. According to the doctor in the video, a group of lawyers had gone to the Inspector General of Police and told him to charge "two doctors" under Section 7 of ATA, reports Dawn news.

He narrated that the IG had refused while the lawyers had urged him to press charges, saying "they could save face" that way.

A large number of lawyers gathered outside PIC on Wednesday to protest against the "mocking video". The protest, however, turned violent as the lawyers initially closed off entry and exit points to the hospital.

"Three patients including an elderly woman died after doctors failed to provide them timely treatment and remained engaged in averting the assault," Health Minister Yasmeen Rashid told the media on Wednesday evening.

After hours of continued violence, police arrested dozens of lawyers and unblocked the road.

Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari tweeted that a total of 40 lawyers were arrested but four female lawyers were later released. "More arrests will follow," she added.

The protesting lawyers also attacked media personnel on the site with stones. A Dawn news female reporter was injured and her phone was snatched from her.

Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar assured that action will be taken against those responsible for the violence and also ordered an investigation into the attack.

Source: IANS