Pims Fire: Health Minister Vows No One Will Be Spared as Reforms Demanded

Health Minister Mustafa Kamal has vowed that Pims fire will not be treated as an incident that fades from public attention, promising accountability after 14 infants died in a blaze at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad.

Speaking in the Senate on Friday, Kamal said the government would not protect anyone found responsible for negligence, regardless of their position or influence. He said the tragedy should become a turning point for Pakistan’s healthcare system rather than remain an issue discussed for only a few days.

“No one will be spared,” Kamal told lawmakers, saying he was speaking on behalf of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the wider government.

The minister said he was prepared to be held accountable himself and urged parliamentarians to focus on identifying failures within the health system. He warned against attempts to suppress the matter and called for a broader investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

“There can be no explanation for this. I am holding myself responsible,” Kamal said.

He proposed that any committee investigating the incident should not be restricted by a short deadline. According to the minister, a detailed inquiry could expose wider administrative and institutional problems extending beyond the Pims incident.

Minister calls for health sector overhaul

Kamal acknowledged that Pakistan’s health sector was far from ideal and argued that the tragedy should prompt fundamental reforms.

He cited the country’s high rate of preventable child deaths, saying hundreds of thousands of children aged between one and five die every year. He urged lawmakers to use the Pims tragedy to develop measures that could prevent similar deaths in the future.

“It is not possible to bring back the infants who died at Pims,” he said, while urging authorities to ensure that other children do not die because of preventable failures.

Kamal said speeches and promises would have little meaning unless the government learned from the incident and implemented practical changes.

“Start from me,” he told lawmakers, offering his own ministry for scrutiny and accountability.

He also criticised weaknesses within the existing system, describing it as “rotten” and questioning how authorities could consistently replace incompetent officials with better personnel.

The minister said political influence should not interfere with administrative decisions, particularly when officials are found responsible for negligence.

Inquiry report expected

Kamal said the inquiry committee’s report into the Pims tragedy was expected to be submitted on Friday.

He told the Senate that if lawmakers were dissatisfied with the findings, the government would be prepared to listen to their concerns and consider further investigation.

The minister reiterated that individuals responsible for negligence would face consequences, regardless of their influence.

He also called for parliamentarians to help develop a strategic roadmap for improving hospital safety and preventing avoidable deaths within existing resources.

Kamal said his ministry would provide lawmakers with relevant information and promised to support implementation of agreed reforms.

He added that the issue should not be considered closed until authorities had established measures capable of preventing similar incidents.

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National Assembly demands impartial inquiry

Separately, the National Assembly unanimously passed a resolution calling for an impartial investigation into the Pims fire and expressing deep condolences to the families who lost their children.

The resolution condemned the incident and raised serious concerns over circumstances that lawmakers described as involving “sheer negligence”.

It called on the government to take strict legal action against anyone found responsible for negligence or safety failures.

Lawmakers also demanded stronger fire-safety and emergency-preparedness measures at federal government hospitals, particularly in neonatal and paediatric units.

The resolution said improved safety arrangements were essential to prevent another tragedy of this nature.

Rs5 million compensation for each family

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry announced that the government would provide Rs5 million to each family affected by the tragedy.

Speaking at Pims, Chaudhry described the deaths of the 14 infants as the result of what he called “criminal negligence”.

He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had already established an inquiry committee and that officials found guilty of negligence would face exemplary punishment.

Chaudhry acknowledged that financial compensation could not ease the pain of parents who had lost their children, but said the government wanted to provide some immediate support.

The compensation will be deposited into the accounts of the mothers of the deceased infants, he said.

What happened at Pims?

The fire broke out on Wednesday at the Mother and Child Healthcare Centre at Pims.

According to the hospital, a spark inside the nursery was reported at around 6:38am. The fire reportedly spread rapidly, with oxygen points located near the incubators contributing to the intensity of the blaze.

Pims said doctors and nurses on duty responded immediately and alerted security personnel. Hospital officials said attempts were made to enter the nursery before a blast occurred and sections of the ceiling collapsed.

Witnesses, however, alleged that emergency services took too long to respond and claimed they had to break windows to reach the affected ward. Some also alleged that doors were locked.

Hospital and government officials later disputed allegations that emergency exits had been locked or that emergency services were delayed.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered a high-level investigation and removed Federal Health Secretary Muhammad Aslam Ghauri from his position.

The deaths have triggered widespread public anger and renewed demands for accountability, with lawmakers also seeking answers from the Pims administration over alleged safety failures and possible negligence.

The government now faces pressure to ensure that the investigation produces accountability while delivering concrete reforms to hospital safety standards.