KOHAT, Pakistan — The fatal shooting of a young physician outside a public hospital in Kohat late Sunday has ignited protests by healthcare workers, shuttered services across major medical facilities and renewed concerns over the safety of doctors in Pakistan’s public health system.
Dr. Mehwish Hasnain was killed shortly after completing her shift at the KDA Divisional Headquarters Hospital, according to local police and hospital officials. Investigators said she was shot multiple times outside the hospital premises as she was heading home. She died at the scene.
On Monday, colleagues and members of the Young Doctors’ Association gathered outside the hospital, blocking KDA Road and demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible. Many carried placards calling for enhanced security measures at public health institutions.
Police officials confirmed that a First Information Report had been registered against unidentified assailants. Shahbaz Khan, the district police officer, said three investigative teams had been formed to track down the suspect or suspects. He added that he was personally overseeing the operation.
Hospital staff members alleged that the shooting stemmed from an earlier altercation inside the hospital, where Dr. Hasnain had reportedly asked a male attendant to leave an area reserved for female patients. According to Hafeez Orakzai, a spokesman for the Young Doctors’ Association’s provincial chapter, the incident had initially appeared minor.
“She left the hospital alone, believing the matter was resolved,” Mr. Orakzai said. “But she was later attacked outside and shot repeatedly.”
In response to the killing, medical staff suspended routine services at three major facilities in Kohat — the KDA Divisional Headquarters Hospital, Liaquat Women and Children’s Hospital, and the Dental Hospital — while maintaining emergency care after appeals from the police to avoid further hardship for patients arriving from nearby districts, including Orakzai, Kurram, Hangu and Karak.
The killing has intensified fears among healthcare workers, particularly women, who say they face frequent harassment and threats in overcrowded public hospitals. Protesters described a pattern of violence in emergency rooms and wards, where attendants and visitors have at times assaulted staff.
Funeral prayers for Dr. Hasnain were offered on Monday at the Sava Lakh graveyard, attended by colleagues and officials from the civil and police administrations.
In a statement, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Pakistan condemned the killing, calling it part of a broader pattern of workplace violence against women doctors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province.
“Repeated incidents of violence against women doctors point to systemic gaps in workplace safety, security enforcement and institutional accountability,” the statement said. “Such acts not only endanger healthcare workers but also undermine public confidence in essential medical services.”
The society urged the provincial government to conduct a transparent and time-bound investigation, implement strict security protocols at public health centers and develop a comprehensive policy aimed at preventing workplace violence, with special attention to the protection of women healthcare professionals.
“Violence justified under the guise of ego or so-called honour has no place in a lawful society,” the statement added.
For many in Kohat’s medical community, the killing marks the second such fatal attack in recent years, reinforcing a sense of vulnerability among those tasked with caring for the public.
As investigators pursue leads, hospital corridors remain tense — a reminder that for some healthcare workers, the risks extend beyond the operating theater and into the streets outside.
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