PM Suspends Eight Officials After PIMS Hospital Fire Kills 14 Newborns

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered the suspension of eight officials and directed criminal proceedings against those found responsible following a devastating fire that killed 14 newborns at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad, according to statements from the Prime Minister’s Office.

The interim inquiry report, submitted by a committee headed by retired senior civil servant Shahid Khan, revealed critical safety failures. According to government statements, the third-floor nursery lacked both fire alarms and sprinkler systems, while the hospital had only two subsections of its 13 standard operating procedures addressing fires or emergencies. Investigators also determined that supervisory staff were absent when the blaze started, leaving two nurses, a female security guard, and a house officer in the ward.

Official Suspensions and Legal Action

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the eight suspended officials include PIMS executive director Dr. Rana Imran Sikander, joint executive directors Dr. Mutahir Shah and Dr. Chaudhry Awais Ali Shah, neonatal department head Prof. Dr. Sadia Riaz, senior registrar Dr. Nagham, Dr. Naushila Amjad, PIMS Security Assistant Director Mohammad Usman, and Dr. Abdul Rehman, director general of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) emergency services.

Prime Minister Sharif stated that those guilty of criminal negligence deserve no leniency, directing both departmental and criminal proceedings under relevant laws. The government also approved administrative action against the company contracted for hospital security. National Institutes of Health Chief Executive Officer Dr. Mohammad Salman was appointed as the acting executive director of PIMS to replace the removed officials immediately.

Emergency Response Delays and Rescue Efforts

The interim report detailed significant delays in managing the emergency. Investigators found that emergency services were not called until six minutes after the fire erupted, and the first responders arrived 15 minutes after receiving the call. Because the fire spread rapidly through the nursery, staff managed to rescue only one infant out of the 15 being cared for in the ward.

Amid the tragedy, authorities highlighted the actions of nurse Razia Noreen, who investigators said risked her life to save a child before flames consumed the ward. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Sharif approved the state award Sitara-i-Khidmat and a cash grant of 1 million rupees for Noreen, praising her exceptional courage and responsibility.

Government Compensation and Broader Safety Reviews

The federal government previously announced financial compensation of 5 million rupees (about $18,000) for each bereaved family affected by the fire. Health Minister Mustafa Kamal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry visited the children’s ward at PIMS to meet with grieving families.

In response to the incident, Health Secretary Aslam Ghauri was dismissed. Furthermore, provincial authorities in Punjab ordered immediate safety reviews of firefighting equipment and emergency-response facilities across hospitals in the country’s most populous province.