Punjab Institute of Mental Health patient drives ambulance to Shahdara hospital posing as ‘new MS’

LAHORE: A mentally challenged patient of the Punjab Institute of Mental Health (PIMH) drove away an ambulance of the institute and reached the Government Shahdara Teaching Hospital ‘to assume charge as new medical superintendent (MS) of the hospital’.

In a brief meeting with the senior admin officials, he told them that the Punjab government has ‘appointed him new MS of the Shahdara Teaching Hospital and he arrived to assume the charge of his new office’.

As per the reports, the officials initially got confused as the way of talking, the tone and selective words of the visiting official were similar to those the qualified and professional officials have been using.A senior administrator contacted higher authorities to verify what appeared to be an abrupt change in leadership.

However, the situation became clear when officials noticed that the visitor’s uniform bore the initials “PIMH.” They immediately contacted an additional medical superintendent (AMS) at PIMH.

The institute confirmed that a patient, along with an ambulance, had gone missing earlier in the day. The situation was further clarified when the AMS shared the patient’s photograph, identifying him as Rehanul Haq, who had been under treatment in the Special Medical Ward since 2022.

Panel formed to probe into security lapse at mental institute

Sub-Inspector Mohammad Nasir said police took the patient into custody at Shahdara Teaching Hospital after being alerted by the hospital administration.

He said he was the first responder to an emergency call received at 9:40am reporting the theft of an official ambulance from PIMH. Given the prevailing security situation in Lahore which was hosting Pakistan Super League matches and international players, the report triggered high alert across the city.

During the investigation, police reviewed records showing that three ambulances had left PIMH. Two were later traced moving towards Shadman, while the route of the third was detected on The Mall.

While efforts were underway to trace the vehicles, the AMS at PIMH received a call from Shahdara Teaching Hospital confirming the presence of the missing patient along with the ambulance.

The police officer said PIMH must investigate security lapses that allowed a patient to leave the premises in an official vehicle without proper verification.

Under existing protocols, security staff at the main gate are provided with details of authorised drivers and registered ambulances used for patient transport.

Officials expressed astonishment that the patient managed to drive the ambulance through busy city roads without any accident, covering a distance of around 14 kilometres from PIMH to Shahdara.

A senior PIMH official said a four-member committee has been constituted to investigate the incident. The inquiry will be headed by Prof Dr Nauman Mazhar, with AMS Dr Hanan Sarfraz, Dr Romana Ashfaq and Dr Adeel Ayub as members.

The committee has been tasked with fixing responsibility, particularly on the security staff posted at the main entrance at the time of the incident. Action will be taken in light of the findings.

Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2026