PUB-G: Pakistan’s Unknown dead Body Ground

According to some reports, over 200 bodies were found at the hospital.

The statement by the Tehrik-i-Taliban (TTP) or the Pakistani Taliban comes days after hundreds of rotten bodies found on the roof of a public sector hospital in Multan in the Punjab province of Pakistan.

An official told that the abandoned bodies were recovered from Nishtar Hospital in Multan city of Punjab province and that several of the corpses had their chests ripped open and organs removed.

The ‘salwars’ on the bodies of the victims and their strong body structure – typical to mountains and hard terrains – have given rise to speculation that the corpses may be of Balochs and Pashtuns, who were victims of forced disappearances by the security forces. An unkown number of people have been abducted by Pakistani forces from the Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provinces of Pakistan in recent years.

No confirmation or denial has been given yet, however, by any government official over the number of bodies.

Advisor to Chief Minister, Punjab, Tariq Zaman Gujjar said a whistleblower tipped him off about the rotting bodies on the roof of the mortuary at Nishtar Hospital.

“I was on a visit in Nishtar Hospital when a man approached me and said if you want to do a good deed then go the morgue and check it out.

He said when he reached there the staff wasn’t ready to open the doors of the mortuary. “To this, I said if you don’t open it right now, I am going to file an FIR against you,” Gujjar added.

He said when the morgue was finally opened and they stepped in only to find at least 200 bodies lying around. “All the decomposing bodies (of both men and women) were bare. Even women’s bodies weren’t covered.”

Gujjar said when he asked them (doctors) to explain what was going on they said these were used by the medical students for educational purposes.

“Do you sell these bodies? I asked the mortuary authorities.”

Gujjar said he asked doctors to explain the incident and in response, they said it was not what it looked like as these were used by the medical students for educational purposes.

“Two of the bodies on the roof were rather in the early stages of decomposition. Maggots were all over them”.

“Vultures and worms were scavenging on the corpses on the roof. Our tally showed there were at least 35 bodies on the rooftop of the mortuary.”

“The bodies after being used for medical education purposes should have been given a proper burial after Namaz-e-Janaza, but they were thrown on the roof”.

Pakistan occupied Punjab Chief Minister Pervez Elahi took notice of the abandoned bodies and sought a report from the Punjab specialized healthcare and medical education secretary.

The Punjab government formed a six-member committee to investigate the incident after the bodies were discovered and videos and pictures were shared on the internet.

Moreover, Nishtar Medical University’s vice-chancellor has also formed a three-member committee for an inquiry into the incident.

A letter dated October 13, 2022, was also sent to the medical superintendent of the hospital, asking for a detailed inquiry report within three days.