News Desk |
Kidnapped Civil Hospital neurosurgeon Dr. Sheikh Ibrahim Khalil returned home on Wednesday, 30th January after 48 days in captivity, having been abducted from Quetta last year on December 13th.
Dr. Khalil was kidnapped from Shahbaz Town while he was on his way home from work. His car with broken windows was recovered by authorities; the neurosurgeon could not be reached on his mobile phone.
Chairman of the Doctors Association Committee Dr. Mandokhail confirmed the news of Dr. Khalil returning home. “The kidnapped doctor has reached his home,” Dr. Mandokhail, told a press conference. “Nearly Rs50 million have been paid in ransom to kidnappers,” Dr. Mandokhail said at Civil Hospital Quetta.
Outdoor Patient Departments and other general departments in Quetta’s Civil Hospital and Bolan Medical Complex remained close as doctors were not present.
According to his relatives, Dr. Khalil was dropped off in the Pak-Afghan border town of Chaman by armed men. Dr. Khalil then hailed a cab to make his way home to Quetta, Dr. Khalil’s relatives told the press. Upon hearing the news of his return, a number of medical professionals and relatives reached his residence.
The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) and Doctors Action Committee last month, had boycotted all medical departments in government hospitals in protest against the kidnapping of a neurosurgeon.
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To pressurize the provincial government for recovering Dr. Ibrahim Khalil, the doctors boycotted all medical departments except emergency. Outdoor Patient Departments (OPDs) and other general departments in Quetta’s Civil Hospital and Bolan Medical Complex remained close as doctors were not present.
Doctors had complained that the government had not approached them for discussing their demands. They said they could not travel safely even on the roads of Quetta. Frequent incidents of kidnapping of doctors in Baluchistan have increased a feeling of insecurity among them, they said. According to the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), 33 doctors have been kidnapped, 18 target-killed and over 90 abandoned in Baluchistan during the past decade.