PIMS tragedy: PM orders suspension of eight officials
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered the suspension and criminal proceedings against eight senior officials for criminal negligence following a devastating fire at PIMS that killed 14 newborns.
- Suspension of senior officials and criminal proceedings.
- Inquiry findings on PIMS safety failures and mismanagement.
- Lack of fire alarms, sprinklers, and emergency procedures.
- Nurse honored for rescuing a child during the fire.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday ordered the immediate suspension of eight senior officials and directed that criminal proceedings be initiated against those held responsible for the devastating fire at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), in which 14 newborn children died.
Chairing a high-level meeting on the incident, the prime minister approved action against officials identified in the interim report of an inquiry committee, stressing that those found responsible for “criminal negligence” would receive no concession.
The officials named in the interim findings include PIMS Executive Director Prof Dr Imran Sikandar, Joint Executive Directors Dr Mutahir Shah and Dr Owais Ali Shah, head of the neonatal department Prof Dr Saadia Riaz, senior registrar Dr Naghma, Dr Nosheela Amjad, PIMS Assistant Director Security Muhammad Usman and Capital Development Authority (CDA) Emergency Services Director General Dr Abdul Rehman.
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The prime minister directed that departmental, as well as, criminal proceedings be pursued without discrimination against those identified by the committee.
He also approved action against the private security company deployed at the hospital and its officials.
He ordered the immediate appointment of replacements for officials removed from their posts and directed that Dr Muhammad Salman, CEO of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), be appointed acting executive director of PIMS.
The inquiry briefing painted a grim picture of safety failures at the hospital, revealing that the neonatal ward had no fire alarm or sprinkler system and that PIMS lacked detailed standard operating procedures and training for dealing with fires and other emergencies.
Of the hospital’s 13 SOPs, the committee found references to fire or emergency situations in only two sub-sections.
Supervisory staffers were reportedly absent when the fire broke out. Only two nurses, a female security guard and a house officer were present in the ward at the time.
According to the briefing, the fire spread through and engulfed the entire ward in just two minutes.
An emergency call was made six minutes after the fire started, while the first emergency response arrived another 15 minutes later, raising serious questions over the hospital’s preparedness and emergency response arrangements.
The inquiry also found that PIMS had failed to comply with World Health Organisation (WHO) requirements relating to neonatal wards.
The revelations are particularly damning because a fire had occurred at the PIMS nursing hostel only a month earlier, in July.
Despite that incident, the inquiry found that adequate safety measures were not subsequently put in place.
The briefing further highlighted the hospital’s deteriorating condition and alleged administrative mismanagement.
The prime minister ordered the interim report to be made public immediately.
The Ministry of National Health Services was directed to place the report on its website shortly after the meeting.
However, the prime minister approved the Sitara-e-Khidmat and a cash award of Rs10 million for Razia Noreen, a nurse, who risked her life to rescue a child before the fire engulfed the ward.
He also ordered that a nurse and a female security guard who were present in the ward be made officers on special duty (OSDs) pending further investigation.
PM Shehbaz said those found negligent would be brought to justice and given exemplary punishment so that, in his words, no mother would again be separated from her child because of another person’s criminal negligence.
“The death of innocent children is a tragedy that has left the entire nation grieving,” the prime minister said, extending his condolences to the bereaved parents.
He thanked inquiry committee chairman Shahid Khan and its members, while directing them to complete their investigation and submit a more detailed report.
The meeting was attended by federal ministers Ahad Cheema, Attaullah Tarar and Mustafa Kamal; committee chairman Shahid Khan; members Barrister Nabeel Awan and Maj Gen Khurshid Utra (retd), and other senior officials.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026