Islamabad Fourteen newborn babies were killed after a devastating fire broke out at the Mother and Child Hospital of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad, prompting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to order a high-level investigation and action against those responsible.
The fire erupted in the nursery on Wednesday morning, where 15 babies were present. According to PIMS, one baby was rescued from the nursery, while other patients and mothers were also evacuated from nearby areas.
A petition seeking the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the August 26 incident at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) has been filed in the Islamabad High Court.
Advocate Qasim Iqbal Jalali filed the petition in his personal capacity, requesting that the commission be headed by either a judge of the Islamabad High Court or the West District sessions judge. The petition seeks an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident and measures to prevent similar occurrences.
Petition Seeks Forensic Investigation
The petitioner has also asked the court to order a forensic examination of the August 26 incident and a comprehensive audit of PIMS’s fire alarm system.
The petition maintains that the incident at the major public hospital requires a detailed examination of the available evidence and safety arrangements.
The federal government, secretary interior, secretary health, chief commissioner and inspector general of Islamabad have been named as respondents in the petition.
The court will determine whether the requested judicial commission and other measures should be ordered.
What Caused the PIMS Fire?
According to the hospital’s preliminary report, a spark occurred inside the nursery at around 6:38am. The blaze then spread rapidly, with oxygen points installed near the incubators contributing to the intensity of the fire.
Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said CCTV footage showed a spark in an air-conditioning unit followed by a fireball. Within about a minute, the nursery was engulfed in flames. He said 14 of the 15 infants appeared to have been connected to oxygen tubes at the time.
PIMS said two doctors and two nurses responded immediately and sought help from security personnel. The hospital also said staff rescued patients from the adjoining gynaecology ward and used available fire extinguishers to contain the blaze.
Parents Question Rescue Response
Bereaved families and witnesses, however, raised serious questions about the emergency response.
Several witnesses alleged that rescue teams arrived late, while others claimed some doors were locked as smoke and flames spread through the building. Witnesses said people smashed windows in an attempt to reach those trapped inside.
PIMS disputed claims about emergency exits, maintaining that all emergency exits were open and operational.
One father, Khurram Mehmood, said he lost his three-day-old daughter in the tragedy and alleged that authorities arrived hours after the fire started. Another grieving mother, Jaweria, demanded justice after losing her newborn and accused emergency services of responding too late.
The conflicting accounts over the response time are expected to be a key part of the investigation. Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry said rescue teams reached the hospital within six minutes of receiving information and maintained that there appeared to be no negligence on the part of rescue services.
PM Shehbaz Removes Health Secretary
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took notice of the tragedy and ordered a thorough investigation to determine the circumstances behind the fire and identify those responsible.
The prime minister also suspended and removed Federal Health Secretary Muhammad Aslam Ghauri. Captain (retd) Muhammad Mahmood was subsequently appointed health secretary for three months or until a regular appointment is made.
A high-level inquiry committee headed by former interior secretary Shahid Khan has been formed to investigate the incident.
The committee has been directed to submit an interim report within 48 hours and a comprehensive report within five days. Its mandate includes determining the cause of the fire, examining rescue operations, reviewing PIMS’ fire-safety infrastructure and establishing whether negligence contributed to the deaths.
A separate seven-member fact-finding committee has also been constituted to examine the cause of the blaze, fire-safety arrangements and the effectiveness and response time of firefighting and rescue operations.
Health Minister Offers Himself for Accountability
Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal vowed that anyone found responsible for negligence would face action.
He said the incident would be investigated by experts and relevant institutions and pledged that the facts would not be concealed.
Kamal also offered himself for accountability, saying no responsible person would be spared if negligence was established.
He acknowledged that PIMS faces significant challenges, noting that the hospital receives far more patients than its intended capacity. However, he maintained that investigators would determine where negligence occurred and what measures were needed to prevent another such tragedy.
Calls Grow for Accountability and Hospital Safety Reforms
The deaths triggered widespread grief and demands for accountability across Pakistan.
President Asif Ali Zardari called for responsibility to be determined and stressed the need for effective fire-safety and emergency arrangements in hospitals, particularly facilities treating newborn babies.
UNICEF also expressed sorrow over the deaths and called for an urgent review and strengthening of fire prevention and safety standards across healthcare facilities.
The Pakistan Medical Association demanded action against officials found responsible for failing to enforce safety codes and called for stronger accountability of authorities responsible for hospital safety, building regulations and emergency infrastructure.
The investigation will now focus on how the fire began, whether PIMS had adequate and functioning fire-safety systems, the response of hospital staff and emergency services, and whether administrative or institutional negligence contributed to the deaths of the 14 newborns.
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