AMMARA FAROOQ MALIK Politics, NRO, corruption and now medical negligence: Our politicians have a new feather in their caps. When three-year-old Imanae Malik died due to the reckless and negligent acts of the doctors and administration at Doctors Hospital, everyone was extremely sad. But now what will really make everyone disillusioned with any hope for change, is if this story too, dies out with no results after being pushed around, left, right and centre by the politicians, only to protect the high and mighty. One man's defiance against the recklessness of a doctor, that too on such a large scale, is certainly unprecedented as not many have dared to confront such unethical conduct of doctors in the past. Those who did were snubbed, ostracized by the medical community or even tormented for having raised their voices. Worse yet, many even feared to assert their views because at the end of the day, we have limited choices when it comes to health facilities. If the doctors harm us, we have no legal remedy against them and if we invite their wrath, we become more susceptible to their callous behaviour. The Doctors Hospital has been trying to pull strings in the political high quarters and had started by offering Imanae's family an out of court settlement to the tune of Rs 50 million. However, the family had the acumen to refuse this paltry amount and to keep pursuing this case. A recent post on the Justice for Imanae Malik group on Facebook reads that a new committee is now being proposed to be formed by President Zardari on the advice of Governor Salman Taseer. Common sense and reason dictates that there should be no further need to constitute another committee when one had already been created and had even given its findings, calling for the arrest of the negligent doctor and recommending the closure of the hospital. It is pertinent to mention here that the initial committee was formed by the Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif which gave its findings within days of the incident to the relief of Imanae's parents. Now, why would the Governor Punjab want to create a parallel committee if not to score political points against his political foe with whom he is at loggerheads? Or perhaps, he is trying to buy time in order to protect some rich friends in the hospital knowing that time heals everything, hopefully, even the death of a loved one at the hands of negligent 'elite' doctors? Already some private Television channels have remained mum over this tragic incident and have in fact turned a blind eye to the entire movement started by the hapless parents of Imanae. The media is indeed free but free to take its political sides. Sources have disclosed that the family of Imanae is also being politically pressurised to let the dust settle with the hope that they will eventually either be disgruntled with the snail-paced judicial system or their movement will lose momentum and they will finally settle for a compensation amount instead. In a country where honour killings go unaccounted for can there be much room for accountability of a 'noble' doctor who has just made a 'mistake'? Let us not forget the 'blunders' of the hospital staff in concealing the evidence. It is yet to be seen whether one man and his anguish can make history in Pakistan and set a precedent loud and clear for generations to follow...or whether this one man's efforts will also fall victim to the Pakistani social, moral, judicial and political decay. Next patient, please. The writer is a High Court lawyer and founder of SEPLAA, a health and social reform Think Tank.