Bomb hoaxes at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) and the Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) caused severe inconvenience on Thursday to under-treatment patients, visitors as well as medical and paramedical staff when unknown callers claimed that vehicles laden with explosives were about to explode in the medical facilities.

Heavy contingents of police and Rangers personnel surrounded the JPMC after somebody made a call to its operator saying an explosives-laden vehicle had entered the medical facility and would explode shortly.

Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) personnel were summoned. After a search of two hours, however, they cleared the entire premises, ending a drama that caused immense inconvenience to hundreds of patients, their attendants and medical and paramedical staff at the JPMC.

Panic gripped the staff as well as patients at the JPMC and many were seen hurriedly leaving the medical facility soon after learning about the threat, while the attendants of patients who were undergoing treatment were seen highly concerned about the safety of their loved ones.

JPMC Executive Director Prof. Mussarat Hussain told journalists that an unidentified person had called up the hospital’s telephone operator and said that a vehicle packed with explosives was present in the parking area or inside the hospital and would explode shortly.

“We contacted security officials immediately, and they promptly responded and surrounded the hospital. After a thorough search by the BDS personnel, the call proved to be a hoax,” he said.

According to him, there were over 1,150 patients present at the hospital, along with hundreds of other people, including visitors and staff.

Similarly, an unidentified person also made the same claim by calling the operator at the CHK, saying that a car full of explosives was either present in, or about to enter the medical facility to cause a car-bomb explosion.

After receiving the call, the hospital administration contacted the police. The BDS squad searched the hospital premises thoroughly and declared it safe.

Saddar Town SP Abdullah Shaikh told The News that the hoax calls had been made simultaneously at both hospitals, and that, the BDS, after a comprehensive search, declared both facilities clear and safe.