The PIMS hospital fire that killed 14 newborns in Islamabad has triggered one of the most serious institutional accountability actions taken by the Pakistani government in recent years. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday suspended eight officials and ordered criminal proceedings against them after an interim inquiry into the blaze found extensive safety and emergency-response failures at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, the country’s largest public-sector hospital.
What the Inquiry Found
The interim investigation established that PIMS had no detailed procedures or training in place for fires or other emergencies. Of the hospital’s thirteen standard operating procedures, only two subsections made any reference to fire or emergency situations. The neonatal ward itself had neither fire alarms nor sprinklers installed and was found to be operating in violation of every relevant World Health Organization safety guideline.
The inquiry also uncovered a troubling delay in notifying emergency services. Closed-circuit television footage showed an emergency announcement made at around 6:38 a.m., yet Capital Emergency Service records indicated that the first emergency call was not received until roughly 6:54 a.m. Investigators noted that these conflicting timelines still require reconciliation. Once notified, emergency responders reached the hospital within six to seven minutes, but by then the fire had already engulfed the neonatal ward within two minutes of igniting, according to footage presented at a meeting chaired by Sharif in Lahore.
The precise technical cause of the fire has not yet been confirmed. Investigators said possible electrical faults require further forensic examination before a final determination can be made.
Officials Suspended Following the Islamabad Hospital Fire
Sharif’s response to the Islamabad hospital fire was swift and pointed. He stated that those found guilty of criminal negligence would not be shown leniency and pledged that those responsible would be held accountable. The eight officials suspended include PIMS Executive Director Prof. Dr. Imran Sikandar, Joint Executive Directors Dr. Mutahir Shah and Ch. Waris Ali Raza, neonatal department head Prof. Dr. Sadia Riaz, Senior Registrar Dr. Nagham, Dr. Nausheela Amjad, PIMS Assistant Director Security Muhammad Usman, and Capital Development Authority Emergency Services Director General Dr. Abdul Rehman.
Sharif directed authorities to initiate both departmental and criminal proceedings against everyone named by the inquiry committee, instructing that action be taken without discrimination. He also approved measures against the private security firm contracted to PIMS and its personnel. A nurse and a female security guard who were on duty in the ward at the time of the fire have been made officers on special duty pending further investigation.
PIMS Hospital Fire: Gaps in Emergency Preparedness
The inquiry found that supervisory staff were not present when the fire broke out, leaving only two nurses, a female security guard, and a house officer in the ward. PIMS also had no officer specifically designated to handle fire emergencies, with that responsibility instead assigned as an additional duty to an assistant director, a structural gap that appears to have compounded the disaster.
Notably, the failures identified came despite an earlier fire at the PIMS nursing hostel just a month before, in July. Investigators said no meaningful safety measures were implemented at the hospital following that earlier incident, raising questions about whether the tragedy could have been prevented.
Recognition and Reform Following the Fire
Amid the accountability measures, the government also recognised individual bravery shown during the fire. Nurse Razia Noreen, who rescued a child from the burning nursery without regard for her own safety, has been awarded the Sitara-i-Khidmat. One baby was pulled from the nursery itself, while four others were rescued from an adjoining room.
To restore hospital leadership, Sharif directed Dr. Muhammad Salman, chief executive officer of the National Institutes of Health, to take over as acting executive director of PIMS, with immediate appointments ordered to replace the other suspended officials. The interim report has since been made public, and a committee headed by former interior secretary Shahid Khan has been tasked with completing a more detailed investigation.
A Test of Hospital Fire Safety in Pakistan
The PIMS hospital fire has placed renewed scrutiny on hospital fire safety across Pakistan’s public health system, exposing how a facility of national significance could operate for years without basic fire detection equipment in a unit housing its most vulnerable patients. Sharif described the deaths as a tragedy that has left the entire nation grieving, and said the government intended to ensure that criminal negligence does not again cost a mother her child. Whether the broader reforms promised in the wake of the fire translate into lasting change at Pakistan’s public hospitals will depend largely on the findings and implementation of Shahid Khan’s forthcoming detailed report.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, August 30th, 2026
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