ISLAMABAD: Criminal proceedings will be initiated against those held accountable for the fire at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) within the next two to three days, announced Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazl Chaudhry on Thursday. Eight individuals, including the executive director of PIMS, have been suspended after a preliminary investigation into the tragic incident.
The fire broke out in the hospital’s gynaecology ward on August 26, where 15 newborns were admitted, resulting in the deaths of 14 infants. A high-level committee tasked with investigating the incident is expected to submit its final report within two days. This report will clarify the degree of negligence or responsibility of each of the suspended officials.
Following the report’s submission, cases will be filed against the eight individuals on an individual basis. Meanwhile, police investigations are ongoing, with further details anticipated shortly. The law department in Islamabad is also actively involved in addressing the matter. The minister reaffirmed that criminal cases under relevant laws will be registered within the coming days.
In a related development, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, during a meeting held a day earlier, pledged that no leniency would be shown to officials found guilty of “criminal negligence” in connection with the fire.
An interim inquiry report revealed that the exact cause of the fire remains technically undetermined. However, frontline clinical staff were cleared of any abandonment of the newborns, as CCTV footage confirmed immediate rescue efforts were made. The report stated, “The objective CCTV evidence does not support a generalised finding that frontline clinical staff abandoned the newborns.” It suggested that the fire likely originated from an internal electrical or equipment-related source, though it could not definitively identify whether an incubator, warmer, air conditioner, plug, socket, wiring, or another component triggered the blaze.
At the institutional level, the committee highlighted serious deficiencies requiring urgent accountability and correction. These included inadequate fire and life-safety preparedness, blocked or locked emergency exits, poor emergency notification and evacuation planning, insufficient firefighting arrangements, lack of security coordination, and failure to translate responsibilities into operational readiness. These issues were particularly concerning given that PIMS had experienced another fire just seven weeks prior, with similar safety shortcomings already formally identified.
The committee emphasized that circumstances such as locked or obstructed mandatory fire exits, failure to address previously identified safety deficiencies, and any delay in calling external emergency services should be referred for criminal investigation if evidence supports a cognizable offence. Final determination of criminal liability will rest with the competent investigative and judicial authorities.
It was recommended that three types of responses be pursued: disciplinary action for neglect of assigned public duties, contractual action for breaches of outsourced obligations, and criminal investigation where culpable omissions affecting life safety may have contributed to the fatalities.
