Doctor injured in acid attack at Quetta hospital, suspect killed in police encounter

QUETTA: A woman doctor at the Provincial Civil Hospital in Quetta sustained serious injuries on Saturday after a hospital employee allegedly threw acid on her, police said.

A senior Civil Hospital official said the doctor suffered severe burns to her face, chest, legs and other parts of her body. After receiving initial treatment at the hospital, she was moved to a private medical facility. The official said arrangements were being made to shift her to Karachi by air ambulance. Hospital sources said about 70 per cent of her body was affected.

Police said the suspect fled the hospital after the attack. Law enforcers later traced him to an area from where he was allegedly trying to leave Quetta by bus. According to police, officers asked him to surrender, but he opened fire on the police party, leading to an exchange in which he was killed.

Quetta DIG Imran Shaukat said the suspect was killed while trying to escape the city by bus. Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti and Health Minister Bakht Kakar took notice of the incident and condemned the attack. The chief minister directed the relevant health authorities to ensure all available resources were used for the injured doctor's treatment.