PM Shehbaz suspends federal health secretary after PIMS fire

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has suspended Federal Health Secretary Aslam Ghori and removed him from his post following the deaths of 14 newborns in a fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad.

The prime minister also formed a high-level inquiry committee to investigate the incident. Former Interior Secretary Shahid Khan will head the committee.

A high-level meeting chaired by Shehbaz Sharif reviewed the incident, during which the prime minister expressed strong anger at the officials concerned.

The prime minister expressed deep sorrow over the deaths of the 14 newborns and ordered the authorities to identify those responsible. He directed that strict action be taken against anyone found responsible for the incident.

Earlier, Shehbaz, who was attending a Seerat-un-Nabi conference in Islamabad, directed Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal to reach Islamabad immediately.

He also ordered the minister to review the situation and submit a detailed and comprehensive report on the incident.

Eyewitnesses claimed that fire brigade teams reached PIMS about two hours after the fire broke out. One witness said people had tried to escape but rescue workers arrived too late.

The witness said the children who died in the fire were their children and expressed grief over the loss.

PIMS Executive Director Rana Imran Sikandar told the media that two doctors, four nurses and other medical staff were present when the fire occurred. He said one doctor managed to save a newborn.

Rana Imran said access to the nursery had been restricted because some cases of child theft had recently been reported. He also said the hospital’s fire safety system was working satisfactorily.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon expressed deep sorrow over the deaths of the 14 newborns at PIMS.