December 11, 2019, was the worst day than September 11, 2001. On that day, a tertiary care cardiac centre more sacred than Pentagon and World Trade Centre was attacked in Lahore by the civilised “Homicidists” indiscriminately. They were in no mood of sparing the mechanised life-dependent helpless critical patients, the innocent attendants, the health care providers and general public/ passers-by. The consequences of their actions resulted in unjustified deaths, injuries and lifelong psychological trauma to all affected. Besides, the assets like hospital building, medical equipment, vehicles, including one police van, were damaged equally. This heinous act was a practical exhibition of barbarism, vandalism, hooliganism and anti-humanism and fits any definition of terrorism. The day would be remembered as a malignant day in the history of Punjab cum Pakistan as it witnessed the gross violation of not only the law but also the morality, values and humanity by the legal custodian and champions.

Hospitals have no religions, ethnicity, boundaries, political affiliation, nor any discrimination. They have been respected and valued by all both in peace and wars throughout the world. Hospitals are places, which harbour the pain and suffering of the people, where life fights with the monstrous death daringly, where hopes are sustained in the darkness of desolation. Regrettably, this institution has been mutilated brutally, and it is bleeding from every pore. Undoubtedly this “lawyerism” was an act of organised terrorism, which needs no elaboration neither by the Supreme Court of Pakistan nor Parliament, as the Honourable Supreme Court of Pakistan required the Parliament to define the terrorism a few days back.

Moreover, the police and law enforcement agencies once again failed to handle and maintain the law and order situation in the heart of Provincial Headquarter. The failure to protect the hospital is a reflection of bad governance and poor authoritative control by the government despite the recent major administrative changes in Punjab. The event was not quick, there was a reported reasonable time lapsed during the aggregation, advancement and assault by the “legal fraternity”. The police and the law enforcement agencies remained silent spectators as usual. Had they played an active role, the mishap could have been prevented.

It is also important that in a hospital or clinic, every patient and attendant must be respected and given due personal respect and attention. This is their right and moral, a professional obligation of every health care provider. It is also a natural phenomenon that the attendants are more anxious about the disease and the outcome of their patients; hence no manhandling be demonstrated by the health care providers even by their body language. The emotional state of attendants of a critical patient or the bereaved must be empathised by them.

The non-medical professionals and the public must realise that the doctors and the health care providers do not have magical healing powers, they know better about their disease and the condition and always do their best to save lives, not per anyone wishes but as per their professional knowledge, skills according to the condition of the patients hence proposing choices or demands as threats or pressures for treatment and early recovery are illegal, illogical and unintelligible.

On the other side the apathy shown by the medical fraternity while protesting for their interests during the last many weeks in recent past thus not providing effective services to the patients throughout Government hospitals, amazingly not in private setups is also highly condemnable and during these demonstrations, patients were refused for treatment which would have resulted in perceivable morbidity and mortality for the general public. This is a big question mark for this behaviour and attitude exhibited by them antagonistic to the medical ethics and noble profession.

The dilemma is that nobody is ready to accept and admit its responsibility. Government, law enforcement agencies, lawyers and health care providers are blaming each other responsible for the event and consequences. The aftermath of this bad event has been resulting in the strikes by both the learned essential public service delivery institutions, where again the common man is being suffered enormously hence adding misery to the situation. Both the professionals have been committing professional misconduct contrary to their mighty oaths which they have taken. Resultantly, the common public is at risk by both of them. At the same time, they are now threat to each other.

Unfortunately in Pakistan the supreme institution like the Parliament, the Supreme Court and others as police stations, banks, mosques, darbars, churches have been attacked indecently by whosoever whenever enjoyed, without any strict deterrent and remedial actions taken against the conquerors. Consequently, excursion on the hospital is not a novice exercise but a simple sequel. It is a serious concern that the clashes between the institutions and sub institutions have been weakening the national strength and integrity both domestically and at the international horizon where there is already negligible support for the country. Simultaneously the anti-Pakistan forces have been taking full advantage of these events to make her insecure and isolated at every front.

In reality, the nation has been losing the values, especially the tolerance and the patience for each other. The violent behaviour is prevailing in the community right from the domestic to everyday social life, which is an alarming sign and remodelling is inevitable to avoid further deterioration.

Lastly, this was not an extempore show it seems to have a definite scriptwriter, director, producer and sponsors all need to be explored. The government should investigate thoroughly and penalise the offenders without any political victimisation, take serious steps to bring inter-institutional synchronisation. Also, the government needs to discourage the hyper activism in the institutions and bodies, thus preventing the occurrence of similar incidents in future. The Institutions must work within their jurisdiction and limitations not interfering with the others’ boundaries for peace, prosperity, growth and development of the nation in the challenging world.