A WOMAN died after an ex-security guard at a Pakistani hospital posed as a doctor and performed surgery on her, police said on Monday (7).
Shameema Begum, 80, died on Sunday (6), two weeks after Muhammad Waheed Butt attempted to treat her back wound at a public hospital in Lahore.
"We can't keep up with what every doctor and what everyone is doing at all times. It's a large hospital," said an administrative official of Mayo Hospital, who did not want to be named.
He said it was unclear what type of surgery the imposter had performed in the operation theatre, where a qualified technician was also present.
Begum's family paid Butt for the operation. But when the bleeding and pain worsened, her family returned her to the hospital, where they discovered what had happened.
Her body is kept for an autopsy to ascertain whether her death was a result of complications from the botched surgery.
"The guard has been charged and is in police custody," Lahore police spokesman Ali Safdar said.
"Butt had posed as a doctor and made home visits to other patients in the past also."
Mayo Hospital staff said Butt was fired two years ago for trying to extort money from patients.
In May, a man was arrested for posing as a doctor at Lahore General Hospital and extorting money from patients in the surgical ward.
In 2016 it was revealed that a woman posing to be a neurosurgeon conducted operations for eight months alongside qualified doctors at Lahore's Services Hospital, the second-largest health facility in Pakistan.
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)