Murtaza Bhutto

A: Yes. If they are asked to do it by the doctors. The sweepers' help is sought
for opening and closing of the cavities, and their assistance is generally
sought. Suture is an easy job and that is done by the MLOs themselves. The
attendants are in BPS grade I and they work on a part-time basis with doctors
in their private clinics.
Q: Not at a butcher's shop? Police surgeon: At present there are no qualified
mortuary attendants because none are available. The reason being they are
grade I.
Tribunal: Why don't you give them better grades and with higher
qualifications recruit them and call them paramedics?
A: It is the government's responsibility and this has to be done as a policy
matter. Heads and bones are cut with a saw and only recently we have
bought an electric cutter to cut the skull and other bones. The police surgeon
said his department is most neglected, the place where our people work emits
foul smell, no fly-proofing, no drinking water is available and no
airconditioning of the place. The chairman gave the example of Dr Adibul
Hasan Rizvi, whose SIUT is as good as any in the world, and asked the police
surgeon why they don't develop their institutions through donations etc to a
higher level. When the tribunal asked the police surgeon if he had seen
today's Dawn, he replied in the negative. He was told by the tribunal that the
newspaper has reported in detail what your functions are and how they
should be performed.
Q: As police surgeon, you are in charge of all the mortuaries in the city
hospitals and where are they located?
A: They are at Abbasi Hospital, Civil Hospital and JPMC. The fourth one is at
Qatar Hospital, Orangi Town, which is not in use because there is no staff and
other facilities.
Q: The additional police surgeons and all the MLOs are working under you?
A: Yes.
Q: Is there any training for MLOs?
A: There is no formal training, but after they are appointed, they are attached
with the seniors for 2-3 months, but there are no written regulations.
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