Web Desk: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called an emergency meeting in Islamabad following a fire at the MCH ward of PIMS Hospital that reportedly killed 14 newborn babies, while the district administration has formed an eight-member committee to investigate the tragedy.
The committee, headed by the Additional Deputy Commissioner General, has been given 24 hours to complete its inquiry and submit a detailed report.
The district administration formally notified the inquiry committee to determine the cause of the fire and establish whether negligence or technical failures contributed to the deaths.
The panel includes the Director General of Capital Emergency Services, the SP City, the Assistant Commissioner I-9 and the Director General of the Capital Development Authority (CDA).
Officials from the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) and PIMS Hospital have also been included in the committee.
The panel will examine how the fire started, how quickly it spread, whether electrical or technical faults played a role, and whether the hospital had adequate fire-safety and emergency response systems.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has summoned an emergency meeting involving officials from the Ministry of Health, PIMS administration, district administration, police, fire brigade and other relevant departments.
The meeting will review the circumstances surrounding the blaze, rescue operations and the effectiveness of safety arrangements at the hospital.
The prime minister had already taken notice of the incident and ordered an immediate investigation. He directed authorities to identify those responsible for any negligence or failure to perform their duties and take action against them.
Shehbaz Sharif has also instructed Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal to reach Islamabad immediately and visit PIMS Hospital.
The minister is expected to assess the situation personally and brief the prime minister on the incident and the measures being taken at the hospital.
Kamal said initially that the presence of oxygen in the children’s ward caused the fire to spread rapidly and become difficult to control. He also confirmed that a separate committee had been formed to investigate the incident.
Authorities are expected to collect DNA samples from the deceased infants and their parents to assist with identification.
According to a PIMS spokesperson, the bodies of five newborns have been handed over to their families.
Meanwhile, the third floor of the affected MCH ward has been sealed as rescue and identification efforts continue.
The authorities are also expected to examine the hospital’s fire alarms, emergency exits, evacuation procedures and firefighting equipment as part of the investigation.
The eight-member committee brings together officials from the CDA, police, IESCO, emergency services and PIMS, potentially allowing investigators to examine both electrical and technical aspects of the fire alongside the hospital’s emergency response.
However, the inquiry will also face pressure to provide accountability and support to the affected families.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed condolences to the parents and relatives of the deceased infants, describing the loss of the newborns as an extremely tragic and irreparable incident.
He said the investigation must establish the facts and that strict action would be taken if negligence is proven.
Beyond the immediate inquiry, the tragedy is likely to raise broader questions about fire prevention and emergency evacuation systems at public hospitals in Islamabad. Authorities may also face calls to modernise fire-safety and emergency response systems across government-run hospitals to prevent a similar tragedy in the future.
Read more: 15 Newborns Killed in Fire at PIMS Nursery in Islamabad
