Lady doctor Dr Mehwish shot dead in Kohat

KOHAT: A lady doctor, Dr Mehwish, was shot dead in the Kohat Development Authority (KDA) area of Kohat, police said on Monday.

According to police, the incident occurred in the early hours of the day when unidentified assailants opened fire on her as she was returning home after completing her duty at the District Headquarters Hospital.  She was travelling in a rickshaw at the time of the attack.

Police and rescue teams reached the scene immediately and shifted the body to the District Headquarters Hospital for legal formalities.

District Police Officer (DPO) Kohat, Shehbaz Elahi, visited the crime scene and directed the investigation team to conduct a swift and professional probe. He said all available resources would be utilised to trace and arrest those involved at the earliest.

The DPO said that those involved in the heinous act would be brought to justice without any leniency. He added that evidence collected from the scene had been sent for forensic analysis, while a search operation had been launched in the surrounding areas to track down the suspect.

While an official statement has not confirmed the motive behind the killing, social media reports suggested that the attack may have followed an altercation between Dr Mehwish and a male attendant at the hospital after she asked him to leave a women’s waiting area.

According to these reports, after a brief argument, the suspect allegedly intercepted her outside and opened fire. Police have not officially confirmed this account.

Following the incident, doctors gathered at the District Headquarters Hospital late at night to protest and demanded the immediate arrest of the culprits.

The Young Doctors Association stated that doctors working long hours have no adequate security and vowed not to remain silent over the incident.

The association’s president announced a complete strike in all public hospitals across the district, leading to disruption in medical services to the patients.

Police said the case is being investigated from multiple angles, and no arrests have been made so far. Authorities have assured that those responsible will soon be brought before the law.