LAHORE, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 29th Aug, 2026) Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday approved immediate suspension of, and initiation of action against, eight individuals identified by the inquiry committee in connection with the fire incident at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).
The premier chaired a high-level meeting on the PIMS fire incident during which the interim report of the inquiry committee was presented. He specifically directed that those held responsible by the committee should face not only departmental proceedings but also criminal proceedings under the relevant laws.
The eight individuals are PIMS Executive Director Professor Dr Imran Sikandar, Joint Executive Directors Dr Mutahir Shah and Chaudhry Dr Owais Ali Shah, Neonatal Department Head Professor Dr Saadia Riaz, Senior Registrar Dr Naghma, Dr Nousheela Amjad, PIMS Security Assistant Director Muhammad Usman and CDA Emergency Services Director General Dr Abdul Rehman.
Shehbaz Sharif directed that criminal proceedings be initiated against all those responsible, without any discrimination. He also approved action against the security company deployed at PIMS and its officials.
The prime minister approved the award of Sitara-e-Khidmat to the nurse who saved a child’s life without regard for her own safety. He directed that the nurse and a female security guard who were present in the ward be made Officers on Special Duty (OSDs) and instructed that further investigations be conducted.
The PM directed Dr Muhammad Salman, CEO of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to be appointed Acting Executive Director of PIMS. He further directed that new appointments be made immediately and simultaneously to all positions from which officials had been removed.
Shehbaz Sharif directed that the interim report of the inquiry committee be made public immediately. He said the report would be uploaded on the website of the Ministry of National Health Services shortly. “Those responsible for criminal negligence do not deserve any leniency,” he said. He added that the people responsible for the incident would be brought to justice.
“The death of innocent children is a deeply tragic incident over which the entire nation is mourning,” the prime minister said. “My sympathies, along with those of the entire nation, are with the parents of the children,” he added.
He further said, “The responsible individuals will be given exemplary punishment so that no mother is ever again separated from her child because of someone’s criminal negligence.” A CCTV video of the incident, lasting approximately two minutes, was also shown during the meeting. According to the preliminary investigation, PIMS had no detailed standard operating procedures (SOPs) or training specifically relating to fire incidents or other emergency situations.
The meeting was briefed that, of PIMS’s 13 SOPs, references to fire or emergency situations were found in only two subsections. The supervisory staff was not present on duty at the time of the incident, the meeting was informed. Two nurses, a female security guard and a house officer were present in the ward when the incident occurred. The fire spread and engulfed the entire ward within just two minutes, according to the briefing.
One nurse saved a child’s life without regard for her own safety before the fire spread throughout the ward.
An emergency services call was made six minutes after the fire broke out, while the first emergency response arrived 15 minutes later, the meeting was briefed. A fire had broken out at the PIMS nursing hostel only a month earlier, in July. However, even after that incident, no serious measures were taken to improve safety at the hospital, the meeting was informed. There was no fire alarm or sprinkler system installed in the ward.
The neonatal ward was found to be in violation of all relevant World Health Organisation (WHO) requirements, according to the briefing. There was no designated officer at the hospital responsible for fire or other emergency situations. An assistant director had been assigned this responsibility as an additional duty.
The meeting was also briefed on the dilapidated condition of the hospital and administrative mismanagement.
The prime minister thanked the head of the inquiry committee, Shahid Khan, and all its members and directed them to complete the investigation and submit a further detailed report.
Federal Ministers Ahsan Khan Cheema, Attaullah Tarar and Syed Mustafa Kamal, inquiry committee head Shahid Khan, committee members Barrister Nabeel Awan and Major General (retd) Khursheed Utra and other relevant senior officials attended the meeting.
