Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has ordered an urgent, province-wide review of fire safety at public hospitals, directing officials to complete fresh audits within 24 hours, after an investigation into the PIMS nursery fire found that emergency exits had been locked from outside and fire extinguishers had expired.
What the Investigation Found
A Capital Development Authority Fire Brigade report into Wednesday’s fire, which killed 14 newborns in the nursery of Islamabad’s Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, found that emergency exits were locked from outside and obstructed by barriers, potentially hampering evacuation during the tragedy. The report said the blaze may have started due to an electrical short circuit or an overloaded plug, and noted that the hospital’s fire extinguishers had expired.
The fire broke out around 6:45 am in the third-floor nursery of the Mother and Child Hospital ward, where 16 newborns were being cared for at the time. Only one infant was rescued. Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said most of the children died from asphyxiation.
Punjab’s Response
In a letter issued by her office, Sharif directed deputy commissioners across Punjab to review the availability and functionality of fire extinguishers and firefighting arrangements at teaching hospitals, district and tehsil headquarters hospitals, and Maryam Nawaz Hospitals and Health Clinics in their respective districts. Divisional commissioners have been asked to personally supervise the process, with a comprehensive report due to Sharif by August 27 and initial measures to be completed within one week.
Sharif also directed the provincial health department and the CEO of the Infrastructure Development Authority Punjab to prepare a feasibility report on installing technology-driven fire alarm systems, smoke detectors and water sprinkler systems in intensive care units, nurseries, emergency units and hospitals across the province. “There can be no negligence or lapse in ensuring the safety of patients, particularly newborn babies and other vulnerable patients,” she said.
A Wider Regulatory Response
The Punjab Healthcare Commission separately directed both public and private hospitals to strengthen emergency preparedness and complete fire-safety audits “without delay.” The commission said hospitals found in violation of applicable laws, rules or bylaws would be issued inspection reports with recommendations for improvement, and that details of non-compliant institutions would be shared with the commission. The Punjab Emergency Services Department was asked to provide records of hospital inspections conducted over the past three years, along with a list of facilities that had failed to meet the required statutory standards.
During a separate court hearing, Justice Asif questioned Punjab’s Advocate General over the tragedy, asking how patients could be expected to seek treatment at a major hospital if adequate safety measures were not in place. “Preventing such incidents is the responsibility of the government,” the judge said. The advocate general acknowledged there was no defense for the incident, calling it deeply tragic and shocking.
A Familiar Pattern
The response echoes a similar sequence that followed a June 2024 fire at Sahiwal Teaching Hospital’s pediatric ward, also caused by a faulty air-conditioning unit, which killed 11 newborns after an investigation found the hospital’s fire extinguishers had also expired. Sharif ordered the arrest of that hospital’s medical superintendent and three senior doctors at the time. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi has also ordered a comprehensive safety audit of hospitals in his province following the PIMS tragedy.
Why It Matters
Whether this latest round of audits and feasibility studies leads to lasting changes in hospital fire safety, or fades once public attention moves on as happened after Sahiwal, is likely to shape how the PIMS tragedy is remembered. With reports due to the chief minister within days, the coming weeks will show whether Punjab’s public hospitals actually receive the equipment upgrades officials have promised.
