A private security guard was beaten by relatives of a woman when he allegedly told her to submit to a body search before entering Nishtar Hospital.
Sughran Bibi had arrived at the hospital for a delivery. She was accompanied by her relatives Ishaq, Imran and Liaqat.
She was stopped by security guard Akhtar Javed at the entrance. She said he told her to submit to a body search. She refused and an argument ensued between several guards and her relatives. In less than two hours, her relatives had brought more people from the village and they beat up Javed.
Ishaq said they had not wanted to resort to violence but the guards did not let them enter the building and refused to allow them to meet the medical superintendent (MS) to register their complaint. He said the MS had sided with the guards without listening to them.
Talking to The Express Tribune Javed said, “I was suspicious because the woman was not replying to my queries. I thought there was a man under the veil. I only asked her to show me her face because men are not allowed in the labour wing.”
Sughran Bibi’s relatives staged a protest in front of Nishtar Hospital.
Her brother Liaqat said the guard was rude and had insisted on a body search. “We asked him to fetch a female guard or a nurse to search Sughran Bibi but he refused.”
Sughran Bibi later gave birth to a baby at a private hospital, her cousin Imran said.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 26th, 2013.