Peshawar: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Tuesday took up the case of a sanitary worker at Tehsil Tangi Hospital, Charsadda, who died after falling from a tree, with a minority lawmaker demanding a transparent investigation and action against those responsible.
Raising a calling attention notice, minority MPA Suresh Kumar said the hospital worker, belonging to the minority community, had completed his night duty and was pruning tree branches in the morning on the hospital administration’s instructions when he fell from the tree and died.
He alleged that instead of providing assistance to the bereaved family, the hospital Medical Superintendent (MS) accused the deceased of alcohol consumption and suicide. Suresh demanded action against the MS, financial assistance for the family and a government job for one of the deceased’s children.
Responding to the notice, Law Minister Aftab Alam said the deceased was appointed as a sanitary worker, but Class-IV employees were often assigned additional duties due to staff shortages.
He said no statement by the MS regarding alcohol consumption or suicide was available on record, adding that an inquiry headed by the Assistant Commissioner was underway.
He said the deceased’s widow had already been provided a government job, while financial assistance for the family had also been recommended.
ANP Parliamentary Leader Arbab Usman called for a post-mortem examination, saying it was a matter involving a human life and the exact facts should be established through proper investigation.
Suresh Kumar, however, expressed dissatisfaction with the ongoing inquiry and post-mortem procedure, alleging that the inquiry officer was acting as a jirga elder and that the bereaved family was being pressured into reaching a settlement.
He questioned what was being concealed and demanded that the matter be referred to the relevant standing committee.
The Chair deferred the calling attention notice due to the absence of the Health Minister.
