Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif chaired a high-level meeting on the tragic PIMS fire incident, during which the interim report of the inquiry committee was presented. The prime minister approved the immediate suspension of eight officials identified in the report, along with departmental action and proceedings under criminal law. He directed that indiscriminate action be taken against those found guilty of criminal negligence and that those responsible be brought to justice.
The eight officials identified by the inquiry committee include PIMS Executive Director Professor Dr. Imran Sikandar; Joint Executive Directors Dr. Mutahir Shah and Chaudhry Dr. Owais Ali Shah; Head of the Neonatal Department Professor Dr. Saadia Riaz; Senior Registrar Dr. Naghma; Dr. Nosheela Amjad; PIMS Assistant Director Security Muhammad Usman; and Director General CDA Emergency Services Dr. Abdul Rehman.
The prime minister directed that departmental and criminal proceedings be initiated against those responsible. The meeting also approved action against the security company deployed at the hospital and its officials. The prime minister made it clear that those responsible for criminal negligence would not be given any concession and would be brought to justice.
The prime minister also approved the conferment of the Sitara-e-Khidmat on a nurse who risked her life to save a child during the fire. The meeting was informed that, before the fire spread, a nurse saved a child present in the ward without concern for her own safety.
Appreciating the nurse’s bravery, the prime minister approved the honour for her. He also directed that a nurse and a female guard present in the ward be made Officers on Special Duty (OSD) and that further inquiries into their roles be conducted. The meeting was informed that two nurses, a female guard and a house officer were present in the ward at the time of the incident, while supervisory staff was not on duty. The prime minister directed that Dr. Muhammad Salman, Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute of Health, be appointed acting Executive Director of PIMS.
The prime minister further directed that replacements for the officials removed from their posts be appointed immediately and simultaneously. A CCTV video of approximately two minutes showing the PIMS fire incident was also played during the meeting. The inquiry committee presented preliminary findings, including the absence of detailed SOPs and adequate training for dealing with fires and other emergency situations at the hospital.
The meeting was informed that only two subsections of PIMS’s 13 SOPs contained references to fire or emergency situations. It was also reported that supervisory staff was not on duty when the fire broke out. At the time of the incident, two nurses, a female guard and a house officer were present in the neonatal ward.
The meeting was told that the fire spread and the entire ward was engulfed within only two minutes. Emergency services were called six minutes after the fire started, while the first emergency response arrived 15 minutes later. According to the inquiry committee’s briefing, the ward did not have a fire alarm or sprinkler system. It was further reported that the neonatal ward was found to be in violation of all relevant World Health Organization standards.
The briefing also revealed that there was no designated officer responsible for fire and other emergency situations at the hospital, while an assistant director had been assigned the responsibility as an additional duty. The meeting was informed that a fire had also occurred at the PIMS nursing hostel just one month earlier, in July. Despite that incident, serious safety measures were not implemented at the hospital. The inquiry committee also briefed the meeting on the hospital’s deteriorating condition and administrative mismanagement.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif said the deaths of innocent children were a heartbreaking tragedy that had saddened the entire nation. He expressed sympathy with the bereaved parents on behalf of himself and the entire nation. The prime minister said those responsible would be given exemplary punishment to ensure that no mother loses her child in the future due to anyone’s criminal negligence. He reiterated that those responsible for criminal negligence deserved no concession and would be brought to justice.
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