Web Desk: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed deep grief over the deaths of 14 newborn babies in a fire at the nursery of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), calling the incident an “unfathomable national tragedy.”
In a statement, Shehbaz said the entire country was mourning the loss of the infants, whose parents had brought them to the hospital hoping to see them recover.
“Parents brought their children to the hospital with hopes of life, but instead suffered a loss that cannot be remedied,” the prime minister said.
Shehbaz took notice of the incident soon after receiving information about the fire and summoned an emergency meeting with senior officials.
During the meeting, he questioned the relevant authorities over the deaths and warned that no delay, negligence or routine explanation would be accepted in the wake of the loss of 14 newborn lives.
The prime minister also ordered the suspension of Health Secretary Aslam Ghori and directed him to leave the meeting immediately.
The government has formed a high-level inquiry committee headed by former Interior Secretary Shahid Khan to investigate the incident.
The committee has begun examining the circumstances surrounding the fire, including its cause, the effectiveness of safety measures and the conduct of officials responsible for the affected ward.
Investigators are expected to determine whether existing fire-safety protocols were adequate and whether hospital staff followed emergency procedures during the blaze.
The tragedy has also raised questions about the hospital’s preparedness for emergencies.
Authorities will need to establish how the fire started, whether fire alarms and other safety systems functioned properly and why the newborns could not be evacuated in time.
The inquiry is also expected to examine whether any lapses in hospital management, maintenance, security or emergency response contributed to the deaths.
Social groups have welcomed the prime minister’s swift response but stressed that the investigation must be completed transparently and taken to its logical conclusion.
Families of the victims and members of the public have called for those responsible for any proven negligence to face action under the law.
The government has yet to announce when the inquiry committee will submit its final findings. Meanwhile, the deaths have intensified scrutiny of fire-safety standards and emergency preparedness at major public hospitals in Pakistan.
Read more: PIMS tragedy, reflection of system collapse in Pakistan
