ISLAMABAD – UNS : Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered the immediate suspension of eight senior officials and approved criminal and departmental proceedings against those found responsible for negligence in the deadly fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).
The decision was taken during a high-level meeting chaired by the prime minister, where an interim inquiry report into the tragedy was presented. The report identified serious shortcomings in fire safety, emergency preparedness, supervision and response mechanisms at the hospital.
Those ordered suspended include PIMS Executive Director Prof Dr Imran Sikandar, Joint Executive Directors Dr Mutahir Shah and Dr Owais Ali Shah, Neonatal Department head Prof Dr Saadia Riaz, Senior Registrar Dr Naghma, Dr Nosheela Amjad, Assistant Director Security Muhammad Usman and CDA Emergency Services Director General Dr Abdul Rehman.
Prime Minister Shehbaz directed that disciplinary and criminal proceedings be initiated without discrimination, stressing that anyone found guilty of criminal negligence would face the law. He also approved action against the private security company deployed at PIMS and ordered immediate replacements for officials removed from their positions.
Inquiry Exposes Serious Fire-Safety Failures
According to the interim report, PIMS lacked comprehensive standard operating procedures and adequate staff training to respond to fires and other emergencies. Of the hospital’s 13 SOPs, only two subsections contained references to fire or emergency situations.
The inquiry found that supervisory staff were absent when the fire broke out. Only two nurses, a female security guard and a house officer were present in the ward.
The blaze reportedly engulfed the neonatal ward within about two minutes. Emergency services were contacted six minutes after the fire started, while the first emergency response reportedly arrived about 15 minutes later.
The neonatal ward had neither a fire alarm nor a sprinkler system, while the inquiry also identified violations of World Health Organization fire-safety requirements. The committee noted that a previous fire at the PIMS nursing hostel in July had failed to prompt adequate corrective measures.
Nurse Recommended for Sitara-e-Khidmat
The prime minister approved the award of Sitara-e-Khidmat for a nurse who risked her life to save a child during the tragedy. Another nurse and a female security guard present in the ward were made officers on special duty pending further investigation.
Dr Muhammad Salman, CEO of the National Institute of Health, was appointed acting executive director of PIMS.
Expressing deep sorrow over the deaths of innocent children, Prime Minister Shehbaz extended sympathies to the bereaved families and vowed exemplary punishment for those responsible.
He directed the inquiry committee to complete its investigation and submit a comprehensive final report, while also ordering the interim report to be made public through the Ministry of National Health Services.
The prime minister stressed that comprehensive reforms must be introduced to ensure that such a tragedy caused by negligence is never repeated at PIMS or any other healthcare facility.
