NA, Senate committees question probe into deadly Pims fire

ISLAMABAD: Standing committees of both houses of parliament on Monday questioned the probe into the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) fire that killed 14 infants, raising concerns over incomplete CCTV footage and the disputed number of infants present in the nursery.

The inquiry committee established to investigate the deadly hospital fire had submitted its interim report to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday, after which the premier ordered the suspension of and criminal action against eight officials.

Furthermore, the health ministry accepted the resignation of Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority (IHRA) Chairman Dr Riaz Shahbaz Janjua.

In his resignation, Dr Janjua said that some developments and circumstances had affected the autonomy of the authority. He said that, under the prevailing circumstances, it was not possible for him to perform his responsibilities independently and effectively.

Dr Janjua was appointed as a member of the IHRA board in October 2024. He was then unanimously elected as its chairman. In his resignation letter, he said he had worked hard despite having limited human resources.

NA committee questions executive director appointment

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Health, chaired by MNA Mahesh Kumar Malani, was not satisfied with the report prepared by the inquiry committee.

“We have called this meeting regarding the Pims tragedy because we are not satisfied with the report of the committee constituted by the prime minister,” Malani said.

He also directed the media not to record videos of the committee proceedings.

Health Minister Mustafa Kamal, however, defended the inquiry and invited members to raise their objections.

Shazia Soomro questioned why the NA’s standing committee had not been properly briefed about the circumstances of the incident.

“We visited the site but proper briefing was not given, due to which we don’t have a clear picture,” she said.

Malani pointed out that the CCTV footage was incomplete and called for the complete footage to be presented. He said the missing footage from inside the nursery was very important, adding that, in the available footage, a nurse could be seen entering the nursery, but it did not show what happened inside.

Malani also questioned the responses given by the former executive director (ED) of Pims, saying that the officer had failed to provide satisfactory answers.

The committee was told that nurses said they were looking after the babies and had not noticed the source of the spark.

The members also raised questions about the possible role of oxygen in the incident. Committee Chairman Malani sought technical evidence regarding the fire and blast.

Malani demanded a report from the biomedical engineering department and asked when the nursery’s last inspection had been conducted.

He also claimed that the inquiry committee had failed to verify the exact number of babies present in the nursery at the time of the incident, citing some media reports that there were 15 babies in the ward.

The chair stressed that the standing committee had representation from all political parties and that its members would examine the matter beyond party lines.

Kamal said the prime minister had constituted the inquiry committee at around 4pm on the day of the incident.

“Four people were included in the [inquiry] committee,” he said, adding that the health ministry had not conducted a separate investigation after the inquiry committee submitted its report.

The standing committee also raised serious questions over the appointment of the new ED of Pims.

Malani questioned whether a pathologist could effectively run the country’s largest public-sector hospital. He also said that the Pims Act stipulated that the ED should be appointed from within Pims.

Kamal explained that the appointment had been made by the Prime Minister’s Office and that a relaxation of the relevant legal provision had been granted. However, he said, “the new ED will not be able to work”.

Kamal has been vocal about his belief that government employees cannot run departments.

At the standing committee meeting, MNA Aalia Kamran also expressed reservations about the inquiry process, saying no one had politically accepted responsibility for the tragedy.

Senate committee condemns lack of safety reports

The Senate Standing Committee on Health, under the chairmanship of Senator Amir Waliuddin Chishti, reviewed the adequacy of medical, paediatric and emergency care, fire safety arrangements, administrative and systemic deficiencies, accountability measures, patient safety and measures to prevent such incidents in the future.

The meeting was attended by Senators Syed Masroor Ahsan, Rubina Khalid, Nadeem Ahmed Bhutto and Nasir Mehmood, while Senator Shahzaib Durrani participated through a Zoom link. MNA Sabeen Ghauri also attended the meeting as a special invitee.

The committee visited the Pims nursery and raised serious concerns over the absence of fire alarms and the reported closure of emergency exits.

Members also expressed displeasure over construction materials placed outside the labour room, observing that such obstructions could pose serious risks to patients and staff. The chairman directed the Pims administration to immediately remove all materials creating hurdles in hospital wards and access points.

During a detailed briefing, the Pims administration stated that the situation had been managed within a few minutes. However, committee members questioned the availability of duty staff, including doctors, at the time of the incident and observed that the presence of adequate staff could potentially have helped evacuate and save the infants.

Health Minister Kamal informed the committee that, according to the preliminary inquiry report, the fire spread within approximately 120 seconds, resulting in the tragic loss of lives.

He also informed the committee of an earlier fire incident at the Pims nursing hostel in July 2026, which he said he had only learned about after the Wednesday fire.

The Senate committee unanimously resolved to scrutinise the inquiry committee’s report and called for a comprehensive, impartial and technically sound investigation into the incident.

Members observed that established fire safety protocols had not been adequately followed and that no regular fire drills had been conducted. They added that the relevant authorities had failed to carry out the necessary inspection visits.

The committee emphasised the need to clearly separate administrative and clinical responsibilities in public hospitals. Members expressed concern over officials holding multiple additional charges and doctors being assigned administrative responsibilities, stressing that hospital administration should be managed by qualified professionals with relevant expertise.

Members asked whether there was a well-maintained register tracking safety reports.

The committee also questioned the IHRA over the reported absence of inspection visits to Pims over the last two years.

Members raised concerns over the composition and functioning of the IHRA board, while the Senate committee chairman directed Kamal to review and reform the regulatory mechanism and board composition.

The committee also expressed serious dissatisfaction over the performance and coordination of the relevant authorities, including the Capital Development Authority (CDA), rescue authorities, civil defence, Pims administration and IHRA.

The committee further said that legislation would be enacted to prevent such incidents in the future.