Senate Demands Time-Bound Inquiry Into PIMS Fire That Killed 14 Babies
Pakistan’s Senate has called for a time-bound and transparent investigation into the deadly fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad, where 14 newborn children lost their lives. Lawmakers from across the political spectrum used Friday’s sitting to demand accountability over hospital fire-safety arrangements, emergency exits, rescue response and earlier warnings about potential hazards at the federal medical facility.
The issue was taken up after opposition lawmakers sought suspension of the regular Question Hour so the chamber could discuss the tragedy. PPP Senator Sherry Rehman moved an adjournment motion and proposed that a parliamentary committee investigate the incident within a fixed period of roughly 40 days. She said the inquiry should establish responsibility and produce measures capable of preventing another disaster rather than ending as an unpublished or unimplemented report.
Lawmakers said investigators should examine whether emergency exits were accessible when the fire broke out, how quickly rescue teams reached the affected area, whether the hospital possessed required fire-safety approvals and whether earlier warnings about deficiencies had been acted upon. Senators also called for scrutiny of previous fire incidents at the hospital and any recommendations that had been issued before the latest tragedy.
Several members proposed different mechanisms for ensuring an independent investigation. PTI Senator Ali Zafar called for a bipartisan parliamentary committee with equal representation from the government and opposition, while National Party Senator Jan Muhammad sought a judicial inquiry. PML-N Senator Saadia Abbasi argued that the PIMS executive director should be suspended during the investigation so responsibility could be determined without institutional influence.
Other lawmakers focused on structural problems in public healthcare. PML-N Senator Pervaiz Rashid argued that officials paid from public funds should use public hospitals, saying stronger personal reliance on state services could increase pressure for reform. Senator Dilawar Khan called for a clearer separation between clinical and administrative responsibilities at PIMS, while several members demanded stronger emergency-response systems and better preparedness across hospitals nationwide.
The Senate debate repeatedly returned to questions about the neonatal unit where the children died. Members sought clarity over reports concerning locked or inaccessible exits, the availability of staff, possible obstacles faced by ambulances and fire-fighting vehicles and whether electrical overloading, ageing wiring or inadequate maintenance contributed to the blaze. Senators stressed that these possibilities remain matters for investigation and should be established through evidence rather than assumption.
Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal told the chamber that the government was treating the incident seriously and said investigations were already under way. He also clarified that his earlier reference to Pakistan’s wider child mortality crisis was intended to underline the scale of national healthcare challenges rather than diminish the deaths at PIMS. Kamal said health was largely a devolved responsibility and highlighted coordination between federal and provincial authorities.
The immediate next step is expected to be completion of the inquiries already announced and a decision on whether the Senate establishes its own formal investigative mechanism. Lawmakers demanded that findings be made public, responsibility be fixed where evidence supports it and safety procedures be strengthened at hospitals throughout Pakistan. The debate reflects growing pressure on authorities to move beyond emergency responses and introduce enforceable fire-safety, evacuation and accountability standards across public healthcare facilities.