LAHORE: The Punjab government has reportedly sealed two clinics of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Senator Dr Zarqa Taimur in Lahore allegedly to victimise her a day after she protested against the derogatory remarks made by PML-N leader Khwaja Asif against women in a joint session of the parliament in Islamabad.

During his address, Defence Minister Khwaja Asif referred to women senators as ‘garbage’ and ‘remains’ of the PTI chief.

The comments drew a strong reaction from the PTI women parliamentarians including Dr Zarqa who stood up from their seats and demanded that Asif take his words back.

An official privy to the development said primary and secondary healthcare department secretary Ali Jan reportedly issued directions to the district health officers to ‘punish’ Dr Zarqa by sealing her two clinics.

Dr Zarqa’s two clinics sealed for ‘breaching anti-dengue protocol’

He claimed that primary & secondary healthcare department minister Dr Jamal Nasir was also taken on board.

Consequently, health teams were immediately formed and dispatched to the two clinics of Dr Zarqa located in Gulberg and Defence Housing Authority.

The teams were directed to keep the higher health officers updated about the ‘task’.

The official said raiding a clinic did not fall within the purview of the district health authority as it was the domain of the Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) to check violation of any medical protocol.

When contacted, the PHC authorities rejected the allegations that the commission had sealed the two clinics of Dr Zarqa.

“I called the PHC chief executive officer when the matter came to my notice and he categorically denied any action by the commission to seal clinics of Dr Zarqa Taimur in Lahore”, Punjab specialised healthcare minister Prof Dr Javed Akram told Dawn.

He said the PHC had outsourced some powers to the district health authorities to check quackery in Punjab.

An official of the Lahore district health authority claimed that the raids were carried out following complaints of violations of the anti-dengue regulations by the staff of the clinic run by Dr Zarqa.

Referring to action taken in DHA, he said, a team headed by deputy district health officer Cantt raided the clinic of Dr Zarqa and found dengue larvae there.

The official said the clinic was also manned by non-qualified staff as it was run by mostly girls having intermediate qualification.

Moreover, the staff failed to produce the registration letter of the PHC, he said adding that the team sealed the clinic and submitted an application to the local police to lodge a case against the owner under the anti-dengue regulations.

In a video statement, Senator Dr Zarqa alleged that the Punjab government victimised her for protesting against the remarks made by the defence minister.

She said the health teams raided her two clinics in Lahore illegally and sealed them.

“I am ready to be jailed in fake cases but I would keep on raising my voice against insulting campaigns against women parliamentarians”, she said.The primary and secondary healthcare minister and the secretary didn’t reply to the calls and the frequent texts sent to them by this reporter for version.

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2023