ABBOTTABAD: A lady doctor serving at Benazir Bhutto Shaheed DHQ Teaching Hospital has mysteriously gone missing on 4 December and found dead today.
According to hospital officials, Dr. Ward’s abduction had sparked concern among colleagues, but news of her murder triggered deep grief and fury.
In response, doctors and paramedics shut down the Emergency Department and OPD, suspending all medical services in protest.
Witnesses said the protesting doctors locked the hospital gates before marching onto the Karakoram Highway, where they staged a sit-in.
Their demonstration completely blocked the main route, leaving thousands of commuters stranded for hours.
Chanting slogans against the Abbottabad police and district administration, protesters alleged gross negligence and incompetence on the part of law enforcement. They claimed the police had shown traditional sluggishness, failing to take timely action after Dr. Warda’s abduction.
This is the result of police negligence. Had they acted swiftly, she might have been saved, protesters shouted, demanding accountability of the officers responsible for delays in the investigation.
Emergency patients attempting to reach hospitals also faced severe difficulties.
Protesters vowed to continue their agitation until the culprits are arrested and brought to justice, and until reforms are introduced to prevent such incidents in the future.
Meanwhile, police officials have stated that an investigation is underway and that all available resources are being utilized to trace those responsible for the crime.
The tragic incident has once again raised questions about security, law-enforcement efficiency, and the safety of working women in the region.
