A PIMS fire probe has found serious shortcomings in fire-safety and medical facilities at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad. The inquiry report has been submitted to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif following the deadly nursery fire.
The report was prepared by an inquiry committee headed by former interior secretary Shahid Khan. Sources said the committee’s findings were submitted to Prime Minister’s Adviser Tauqeer Shah before being forwarded to the prime minister.
The report has not been made public yet, with the decision to release it resting with the prime minister. Sources said strict legal and administrative action could follow against officials found responsible for negligence.
The PIMS fire probe found that the hospital’s safety arrangements did not meet international standards. The committee also examined statements from hospital administrators, doctors, firefighters and rescue personnel to assess the emergency response.
The committee recommended strict action against staff members who were absent from duty when the fire broke out. An earlier CDA fire department report also found that a fire exit was inaccessible and alleged that security staff delayed the initial response of firefighters.
Officials have given differing accounts about the incident and emergency response. Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said the fire may have started from an air-conditioner spark, while PIMS Executive Director Rana Imran Sikandar denied that the fire exit had been locked.
The nursery fire killed 14 infants and has raised serious questions about safety standards at public hospitals. The PIMS fire probe has now intensified calls for accountability, improved emergency systems and stronger fire-safety measures across healthcare facilities.
