ISLAMABAD: (Staff Reporter) – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has suspended Federal Health Secretary Aslam Ghori and removed him from his position following the deaths of 14 newborns in a fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad.
According to a private news channel, the prime minister has also established a high-level inquiry committee to investigate the incident. Former Interior Secretary Shahid Khan will lead the committee.
During a high-level meeting, Shehbaz Sharif expressed strong displeasure over the incident and ordered officials to determine who was responsible for the deaths. He directed authorities to take strict action against anyone found negligent.
The prime minister expressed deep grief over the loss of the newborns. Earlier, while attending a Seerat-un-Nabi conference in Islamabad, he instructed Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal to immediately return to the capital, assess the situation and submit a detailed report.
Eyewitnesses alleged that firefighting teams arrived at PIMS nearly two hours after the blaze began. One witness claimed that families and others attempted to evacuate, but rescue assistance came too late. The witness mourned the children who died, saying they were their own children.
PIMS Executive Director Rana Imran Sikandar said two doctors, four nurses and other medical personnel were present when the fire broke out. He added that one doctor succeeded in rescuing a newborn.
At Least 15 Infants Die in PIMS Nursery Fire, Say Officials
Rana Imran said access to the nursery had been restricted following recent reports of child theft at the hospital. He maintained that the facility’s fire safety system was functioning satisfactorily at the time of the incident.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon also expressed sorrow over the deaths. Both leaders offered prayers for the bereaved families and wished them strength to cope with the devastating loss.
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