TALAMBA: Following the tragic death of a woman during treatment at Hashim Surgical Hospital on Friday, her relatives staged a strong protest. Upon receiving the information, the SHO of Police Station Talamba arrived at the scene with a heavy police contingent. By then, a large number of local citizens had already gathered outside the hospital.Upon hearing of the incident, several media representatives rushed to the hospital to perform their professional duties. When they arrived, the SHO and a heavy police force were already present.The EscalationWhile the journalists were covering the event, an individual identified as Shahid Imran Bawa approached and inquired about the situation. When the media representatives informed him that a woman had passed away during treatment, he reportedly responded in a loud and inappropriate tone,
“Hundreds of women die daily at Nishtar Hospital Multan. If one died here, what is the big deal?”
Hearing these insensitive remarks, the grieving family members became highly infuriated, leading to a heated verbal altercation with Shahid Imran Bawa. The SHO present at the scene intervened and defused the situation.Allegations of Retaliation and Fabricated ClaimsFollowing this incident, Shahid Imran Bawa has reportedly been issuing death threats to the media representatives.Furthermore, an individual named Adnan—who has no connection to either the hospital or the deceased woman’s family—is allegedly being used to register a nominated FIR (First Information Report) against the journalists at the Talamba Police Station. This move is reportedly fueled by personal enmity. To support this attempt, Adnan underwent a self-concocted medical examination at the THQ Hospital Mian Channu, notably four days after the actual incident took place.The Media’s Stance and Call for JusticeThe media representatives have strongly rejected these allegations, maintaining the following stance: * Professional Duty Only: The journalists were strictly performing their professional duties of covering the protest. This can be easily verified through the hospital’s CCTV footage. * No Assault Occurred: No assault or attack took place on the individual named Adnan, nor did he sustain any injuries during the incident. * Ready for Oath: The media representatives are prepared to state under oath that they were solely focused on coverage and had absolutely no involvement in any physical altercation or dispute. * Demand for Fair Hearing: They have urged the authorities to hear both sides of the story and review the evidence before taking any action, demanding that action only be taken against the actual culprits.The journalists have appealed to high-ranking officials to ensure a transparent, unbiased inquiry into the matter to protect the freedom of the press.
