IHC Seeks Report Sent to PM on Pims Fire as Questions Raised Over Accountability

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court has sought the report submitted to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the Pims Fire, along with details of action taken after the tragedy that claimed the lives of 14 children.

Court seeks report on Pims tragedy

Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfaraz Dogar issued the directions while hearing two separate petitions related to the incident at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences.

Describing the tragedy as a terrible and extremely serious incident, the chief justice questioned whether responsibility had been fixed and asked about the culpability of the hospital’s executive director.

During the hearing, counsel for petitioner Qasim Iqbal Jalali argued that government committees comprising bureaucrats could not independently investigate officials from their own departments.

The lawyer maintained that no one should act as the judge of their own actions and said the inquiry report had not yet clearly fixed responsibility.

Justice Dogar questioned the legal basis for a judicial inquiry and asked under which law the Islamabad High Court could direct such an investigation.

The chief justice observed that commissions of inquiry in such matters generally fell within the government’s domain.

Interim inquiry report presented

Additional Attorney General Rashid Hafeez told the court that authorities had taken action following the incident.

According to the government’s counsel, the health secretary was suspended on the day of the tragedy, while several hospital officials were later suspended following an interim inquiry.

The court sought the report submitted to the prime minister and asked the federation to provide full details of action taken so far.

In separate proceedings, the court also examined a petition seeking action against the Pims executive director.

The petitioner’s lawyer raised concerns about conditions at the hospital and questioned the use of its annual budget, estimated at between Rs20 billion and Rs22 billion.

Counsel told the court that several children had reportedly been accommodated on a single bed despite the hospital’s substantial budget.

Justice Dogar noted that the executive director had already been suspended following the prime minister’s orders.

National Institutes of Health Chief Executive Officer Dr Mohammad Salman has taken charge as acting executive director of Pims.

However, the petitioner’s counsel argued that suspension alone did not establish responsibility for the tragedy.

The additional attorney general said the inquiry report currently available was an interim report.

He told the court that the complete inquiry report would be submitted within five days.

Chief Justice Dogar specifically asked whether investigators had fixed any responsibility against the former executive director.

The court sought a detailed report on the matter before adjourning the hearing.

Shehbaz Sharif Heads to Kyrgyzstan as Pakistan Takes SCO Chairmanship

IHC examines fire safety enforcement

In a related case, the Islamabad High Court also sought responses from federal authorities over allegations that fire safety laws were not being properly enforced across the capital.

The petition alleged that even major facilities, including Pims, lacked the required fire department no-objection certificate.

It further claimed that commercial, educational and medical buildings in Islamabad were operating without valid fire safety documentation.

Some buildings also allegedly lacked firefighting equipment, emergency exits and fire alarm systems.

The petitioner called for full implementation of the Islamabad Fire Prevention and Life Safety Regulations 2010.

He requested an immediate fire safety audit of buildings across Islamabad and action against premises operating without valid fire safety NOCs.

The court issued notices to the home secretary, Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad and the relevant offices of the Capital Development Authority and Islamabad administration.

CDA intensifies action after Pims Fire

The Pims Fire has intensified scrutiny of fire and life safety standards in the federal capital and raised wider questions about enforcement and institutional accountability.

Following the incident, the CDA increased enforcement efforts and took action against several buildings for alleged violations of fire and life safety requirements.

The authority also imposed fines on Pims, Polyclinic and Capital Hospital over reported non-compliance with fire safety requirements.