Journalists Attacked at Samar Bagh Hospital for Reporting on Patient Ill-treatment
On September 22, Waheed Khan Tajik, President of Jandol Press Club, and Shamal TV cameraman Sami ul Huq were attacked by staff at Samar Bagh Hospital in Lower Dir district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while reporting on the alleged neglect of a critically injured patient by medical specialist Dr. Saeed Ullah.
Speaking to the Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) on September 23, Tajik recounted being called to Samar Bagh Hospital to report on the case of Arshad Iqbal, a young man who had suffered severe injuries in an accident. Despite Iqbal’s critical condition, he was left unattended for two hours by the hospital staff. Upon Tajik’s arrival with Huq, Dr. Saeed Ullah recommended that the patient be transferred to an orthopedic specialist but refused to provide the written referral necessary for an ambulance.
Tajik sought assistance from the hospital’s medical superintendent, Dr. Fazal Qayyum, who instructed Dr. Saeed Ullah to properly recommend a hospital. However, Ullah failed to act. Tajik proceeded to report on the issue with permission from Dr. Qayyum. While recording the patient’s and his family’s statements, a hospital staff member, identified as dispenser Saleem Ullah, attempted to stop the coverage. Despite the attempt to halt his work, Tajik continued reporting on the matter. He also arranged a private ‘We Care’ ambulance to transfer Iqbal to the District Headquarters Hospital in Lower Dir.
A video recorded by Tajik shows that when he began reporting on the issue, a hospital guard approached and tried to stop him. Tajik resisted, explaining in Pashto that they were not reporting on the hospital premises. He then continued his coverage and interviewed the patient, who was seated in a wheelchair, about his experience.
Following the report, Tajik and Huq were attacked by a group of hospital staff, including Dr. Saeed Ullah, dispenser Sami Ullah, guard Saleem, and police constable Akbar. The journalists were beaten, sustaining injuries, and their equipment was damaged. Tajik added that despite attempting to file a First Information Report (FIR) at the Samar Bagh Police Station, their complaint was not entertained by the police.
Huq confirmed that the hospital staff refused to provide an ambulance for Iqbal, allegedly due to his financial inability to pay for the service. He described the violent attack during which his clothes were torn, and both he and Tajik were detained briefly.
The incident has drawn widespread condemnation from media organizations. The President of Bajaur Press Club, Hasbanullah, denounced the violence as a “cowardly act” and called for a thorough investigation and punishment for those involved. Shamim Shahid, President of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) Workers Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Raja Riaz, Secretary General of PFUJ Workers, expressed solidarity with Tajik and Huq. They emphasized the need for immediate disciplinary action against the hospital staff and noted that the journalists had received formal permission from the medical superintendent to cover the hospital’s inadequate services.
Khyber Union of Journalists General Secretary Imran Yousafzai also condemned the attack, stressing that violence against journalists for exposing the lack of medical facilities is unacceptable. The Union has called for a transparent investigation and swift action against those involved.
The President of the Tribal Young Journalist Association, Safir Ahmed, echoed these sentiments, describing the attack as a clear attempt to obstruct the work of journalists. The incident has sparked public outrage, with demands for accountability and justice for the assaulted journalists.