Quack Doctor’s Negligence Leaves Woman’s Arm Paralyzed in Karachi, Three Arrested

Karachi: A case of alleged medical negligence by quack doctors has emerged in Karachi’s Manghopir area, where an elderly woman’s arm became paralyzed after she was administered a wrong injection while being treated for a headache. Police have arrested three suspects and registered a case.

According to Express News, the incident occurred at a privately run hospital in the Pakhtunabad area of Manghopir, where unqualified individuals were allegedly providing medical treatment. The victim, identified as Zarsanga Bibi, was taken to the hospital after complaining of severe headache.

The complainant, Shamsi Zahidullah, told police that on the morning of November 18, his mother’s condition worsened and he took her to the local private hospital. He informed the staff about her diabetes and blood pressure conditions. A man identified as Ali Raza, posing as a doctor, administered a drip and inserted a butterfly needle into her hand before sending her home.

Later the same day, her condition deteriorated again, prompting the family to return to the same hospital. Another individual, Abdul Qadir, allegedly posing as a doctor, examined her, prescribed tests, and instructed his assistant Shahid to insert a cannula. He also prescribed injections and medicines, asking the family to return the next morning for a drip, claiming she was being treated for dengue fever and that the cannula would remain for two days.

The complainant stated that he noticed his mother’s right hand turning black at the cannula site and repeatedly informed Abdul Qadir, but the latter dismissed his concerns. Despite being reminded that the patient was diabetic, no corrective action was taken.

On November 23, the woman’s hand became severely swollen and painful, forcing the family to remove the cannula late at night. Her condition further worsened, and she was taken back to the same hospital, where Ali Raza administered another injection. After the injection, blisters developed on her hand and she became unable to walk.

The woman was later shifted to another private hospital near Water Pump, where doctors informed the family that a severe infection had spread. She remains under treatment, and her right arm has been almost permanently damaged.

Police SHO Zubair Nawaz said that a case (FIR No. 901/2025) has been registered under Sections 337-H(1), 419, and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code. During a raid on the hospital, three suspects—Abdul Qadir, Ali Raza, and Shahid—were arrested.

According to police, two of the arrested individuals are quack doctors who illegally established the hospital while falsely claiming to be MBBS-qualified doctors. Letters are being sent to the assistant commissioner and the healthcare commission for sealing of the hospital, while the suspects have been handed over to the investigation wing for further probe.