ABBOTTABAD: The search for a missing female doctor in Abbottabad entered its third day on Saturday, triggering protests by medical staff and increasing pressure on law enforcement to accelerate the investigation.
Dr Warda Mushtaq, serving at Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Hospital, was reportedly missing on December 4 after she left the hospital during duty hours and did not return home. According to FIR No. 1265, filed by her father at Cantt Police Station under Section 365, Dr Warda had accompanied the wife of a local businessman to Jadoon Plaza in Mandian, after which she went out of contact.
The case has gained further complexity following the emergence of a prior financial dispute between the missing doctor and a close acquaintance, identified as Ridha Jadoon, the wife of businessman Waheed Ahmed. According to police sources and the FIR narrative, Dr Warda had entrusted around 67 tolas of gold jewelry to Ridha in 2023 before traveling abroad, reportedly through a written agreement. On the day she went missing, Dr Warda had scheduled a meeting to recover the jewelry.
However, the accused woman rejected allegations in a written application to DPO Abbottabad and submitted application t to the police in which she denied any involvement in the doctor’s disappearance, claiming the case was being used to “malign and blackmail” her family.
She stated that they both had developed close family relations over the past two years. Before leaving for the UAE, Dr Warda voluntarily deposited her gold jewelry with her as amanat, supported by a written document.
During their interactions, Dr Warda also borrowed approximately Rs 8.3 million from her, which Ridha said she arranged through her husband. When Ridha later demanded repayment, Dr Warda issued several cheques, including one for Rs 40 lakh and others of varying amounts, which were returned unpaid.
Ridha claimed the jewelry was returned to Dr Warda after settling accounts, and that only a legal dispute over repayment remained.
She asserted that the missing doctor’s family lodged a “false kidnapping case” to pressure her into waiving the loan.
She requested a fair and an impartial investigation to uncover the facts and protect her family from what she described as harassment and blackmail. Police officials confirmed receiving the application and said her statement has been made part of the investigation.
Amid the uncertainty, doctors at DHQ Hospital Abbottabad boycotted outpatient services on Saturday, limiting treatment to emergency cases. The Provincial Doctors Association and Grand Health Alliance warned that if Dr Warda is not recovered by Monday, the protest will expand to hospitals across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The shutdown disrupted daily operations, affecting thousands of patients.
According to hospital data, the DHQ OPD typically receives over 2,000 people each day across departments including cardiology, ENT, orthopedics, and general medicine.
District police have constituted a special investigation team comprising officers from Mirpur city and Cantt Police stations. Despite extensive interrogation and evidence collection, no major breakthrough has been reported so far.
Police have already taken Ridha Jadoon and her husband Waheed in police custody and started investigation. Police have also taken the mobile set of the accused to trace the missing doctor.
