n Allegedly Tortured in Battal Police Custody Remains Hospitalized Despite Being Listed as Discharged

MANSEHRA: A young man allegedly subjected to torture while in police custody at Battal Police Station remains under treatment at King Abdullah Teaching Hospital in Mansehra, despite reportedly being shown as discharged in the hospital record for the past five days.
According to the victim’s family and sources familiar with the matter, Muhammad Shabbir, son of Muhammad Ashraf, was admitted to the Urology Department of King Abdullah Hospital on September 30, 2026, following injuries allegedly sustained during police custody.
It has been alleged that on the second day of his admission, the attending doctor, Dr. Kafeel Azhar, marked the patient as discharged on his medical file. However, Muhammad Shabbir is reportedly still present in the Urology Department and receiving treatment at the hospital.
The matter gained further significance after the Additional Sessions Judge’s court on September 30 directed the Medical Superintendent of King Abdullah Hospital to conduct a detailed medical examination of the young man allegedly injured in police custody and submit a report to the court.
The injured man reportedly remains unable to walk following the alleged assault and has also complained of kidney-related problems. Meanwhile, Dr. Muhammad Nazir Alvi of the Neurology Department has reportedly described his condition as concerning and advised that he remain under treatment at the hospital.
Media and Human Rights Team Visits Hospital
A team associated with the media and an organization working for people allegedly subjected to torture in police custody visited King Abdullah Hospital to investigate the matter.
The team met Muhammad Shabbir, who was lying on a bed in the Urology Department, as well as his brother, Muhammad Rafiq. The team collected information regarding the alleged police custody, alleged torture and the medical condition of the injured man.
According to the team’s observations, hospital administration personnel were allegedly encouraging the injured man and his family to vacate the hospital bed and return home. The concerned doctor also reportedly briefed the team regarding the patient’s condition and the hospital’s position on the matter.
Later, the human rights team visited the office of the victim’s lawyer, where they met Muhammad Shabbir’s father, Muhammad Ashraf, and discussed the case and the allegations concerning police custody and alleged torture.
Legal Concerns Raised by Medico-Legal Experts
Medico-legal experts consulted regarding the matter said that if a patient who remains hospitalized and under treatment is shown as discharged in official hospital records, the situation could have potential legal implications.
According to the experts, such a discrepancy could potentially affect the legal proceedings and may benefit those allegedly responsible for the incident, while also creating difficulties for the victim’s family in pursuing the case.
However, the exact legal and medical implications can only be determined after examination of the official medical record, court proceedings and statements from the relevant authorities.
Hospital Administration Contacted for Its Version
The Hazara Express News team visited the office of King Abdullah Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. Jawad Majeed Swati to obtain the hospital administration’s version of the matter. However, the MS was not present in his office.
His personal assistant, Raja Zahoor, told the team that Dr. Jawad Majeed Swati had gone to the Deputy Commissioner’s Office and suggested contacting Deputy Medical Superintendent Dr. Amjad.
When the team approached Dr. Amjad’s office, he was also unavailable. He was contacted by telephone and said that he was attending a wedding ceremony. He referred the team to Dr. Ilyas Qureshi.
The team subsequently met Dr. Ilyas Qureshi and sought details regarding the matter and the hospital administration’s position. Dr. Ilyas told the team to submit a written application, after which the relevant details would be provided.
The complete facts of the case are expected to become clearer once the police version, relevant medical records and the report submitted to the court are made available.
Note: Allegations of torture, discrepancies in the hospital record and other claims mentioned in this report are attributed to the victim’s family, sources and the individuals quoted. They have not been independently verified.