Inquiry findings will provide clarity on circumstances of Pims fire, says health minister

Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said on Saturday that the facts and findings of an inquiry committee formed on the prime minister’s orders would help clarify the circumstances surrounding the fire at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) that claimed the lives of 14 infants.

He made the remarks while speaking to the media after visiting the children’s ward at Pims alongside Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry.

During the visit, the ministers met the families who lost their children in the tragedy. Kamal and Chaudhry conveyed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s condolences and sympathies to the bereaved families, while also expressing their own heartfelt condolences and deep sorrow over the loss.

“This is an extremely tragic and heartbreaking incident that cannot be adequately expressed in words,” Kamal said.

“We have come to share the pain and grief of the affected mothers and stand by them in this difficult time,” he said.

“The pain of a mother losing her child is a tragedy beyond words. There is no substitute for precious human lives, and the children who lost their lives cannot be brought back,” Kamal added.

He said the government and the entire nation stood with the affected families and shared their grief during the difficult time.

During their visit to Pims, the ministers reviewed the facilities and arrangements at the children’s ward and received a briefing from the hospital administration on the healthcare services being provided to patients.

Kamal said the government was awaiting the report of the inquiry committee constituted by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to determine responsibility for the deadly fire.

“Let us wait for the report of the prime minister’s inquiry committee,” he said, adding that its findings would help clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The ministers also reviewed the overall situation at the hospital and discussed measures to improve patient care and hospital management.

Later, they visited an affected family at their home in Rawalpindi, where Kamal presented cheques worth Rs5 million to the two families on behalf of the government.

“This financial assistance can in no way compensate for their loss,” he said, adding that it was only a gesture by the government to stand by the families and share in their responsibility.

Kamal said a complete and impartial investigation into the incident was under way.

“Strict action will be taken against those found responsible for this tragic incident,” he added.

Deadly fire at Pims

On Wednesday, 14 babies were killed after a fire erupted at the Mother and Child Healthcare Centre at Pims.

According to a Pims statement, the incident was “initially caused by a spark inside the nursery at 06:38am”, and within seconds a massive fire erupted due to oxygen points at each incubator. It said two doctors and two nurses on duty responded immediately and called security staff, who tried twice to enter the nursery before a blast occurred and the ceilings collapsed.

But, witnesses said they waited hours for emergency services and were forced to smash windows to reach the affected ward, while some alleged that doors were locked.

The hospital and government later disputed claims of delays and locked emergency exits.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif formed a high-level inquiry committee to probe the incident and removed federal Health Secretary Muhammad Aslam Ghauri.

Speaking in the Senate on Friday, Kamal said the tragedy could not become an “episode lasting merely a few days” and backed a parliamentary probe into the incident. He called for a wider investigation, saying it would expose a larger “rot” in the health sector.

Calling the health system “rotten”, Kamal said the Pims deaths should become a basis for reforms to prevent similar tragedies. Responding to calls for his resignation, he said, “Let the investigation be completed. I have already taken action beyond what they are thinking.”

The Senate unanimously passed a resolution seeking a special committee to investigate the fire, while the National Assembly also called for an impartial inquiry and strict action over negligence or safety lapses. The government has announced Rs5 million compensation for each affected family.

The tragedy has since sparked widespread outrage and calls for accountability, with the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on National Health Services also demanding answers from the Pims administration over possible negligence and safety lapses.