Protesters demands release of ANP leader from COVID-19 isolation ward in Karachi  

KARACHI: Awami National Party (ANP) activists have protested outside the COVID-19 isolation ward of  Liaquat National Hospital against the doctors for keeping a COVID-19 patient in the ward and not releasing his wife’s body.

As per details, Karachi’s district south vice president of the ANP Maqbool Kakar and his wife were shifted to the Liaquat National Hospital after being involved in a road mishap.

According to a spokesperson for the hospital, Kakar and his wife were brought to the hospital for treatment after the accident, later they were tested positive for COVID-19 and shifted to isolation.

The spokesperson said the wife was in a very critical condition when brought to the hospital and underwent surgery following consent from the family. However, she passed away on Monday in the isolation ward after the surgery, he added.

Around 7:00 pm today, 60 to 70 activists of the party gathered at the hospital, demanding Kakar’s release from the isolation ward and for them to be handed over his wife’s body.

On this occasion, ANP Sindh’s Deputy General Secretary Sher Mohammad Afridi claimed that the doctors in the hospital had declared Kakar’s wife a COVID-19 patient after she died following a back surgery three days after the accident. He asked why Kakar’s wife was operated upon if the couple were coronavirus patients.

Protesters gather outside Covid-19 isolation ward at Liaquat National Hospital, and shouted slogans "Stop killing under the guise of Corona."#LiaquatNationalHospital #Pakistan #MMNewstv pic.twitter.com/7v6ohRy2CO

— MM News (@mmnewsdottv) June 9, 2020

According to the hospital spokesperson, the administration had contacted the commissioner’s office to process the burial of Kakar’s wife, as per the government’s standard operating procedures.

As the demonstration continued, the hospital administration permitted two protesters to go inside the isolation ward and meet Kakar. Meanwhile, Rangers and police personnel were called in Liaquat National Hospital by the administration.

The protesters dispersed after around two hours after they were given assurances by the doctors regarding Kakar’s treatment.