ISLAMABAD — The devastating fire at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences has now claimed all 15 newborn lives, after the only infant initially rescued from the August 26 blaze died following days of intensive treatment.
The baby, identified as Aizal, had been saved by nurse Razia Noreen during the early morning fire that engulfed the Mother and Child Hospital nursery. Born prematurely, Aizal remained in critical condition for several days before passing away, her father confirmed.
The tragedy has exposed what investigators are calling systematic and institutional failures at one of Pakistan’s premier federal hospitals. A comprehensive inquiry report has revealed that an electrical fault in an air conditioning unit’s supply cable most likely triggered the fire, but the scale of death resulted from deep-rooted safety lapses and inadequate emergency response.
Perhaps most alarming: emergency services were not notified until 16 minutes after the fire became visible at approximately 6:38am. Dense smoke had engulfed the nursery within one to two minutes, leaving what investigators described as an “exceptionally narrow rescue window.”
The inquiry found that 15 non-self-evacuating newborns were housed in a facility designed for ten beds, with only two doctors and two nurses immediately available. The nursery lacked functional automatic smoke detection, fire alarms, or sprinkler systems. There was no documented or rehearsed evacuation plan specific to neonatal patients.
Investigators determined that fire safety risks at PIMS were well-known before the tragedy. Capital Development Authority correspondence, Federal Ombudsman observations from 2015, and critically, a nursing hostel fire just seven weeks earlier in July 2026 had all flagged similar deficiencies. Yet these warnings were never converted into a comprehensive corrective program.
Disciplinary proceedings have now been initiated against six PIMS officials. Executive Director Dr Imran Sikandar faces accusations of failing to ensure fire safety and not conducting fire drills between January and August 2026, despite available funds. Dr Aneza Jalil is accused of delaying emergency notification by the critical 16 minutes.
Other officials face charges ranging from holding multiple positions simultaneously to remaining absent during the incident and failing to ensure proper staffing, firefighting equipment, and emergency exits.
All six have been given 14 days to respond and could face dismissal from service.
The inquiry was careful to note that frontline personnel who attempted rescue should not be blamed. “The objective record establishes prompt alarm raising, entry, rescue and treatment efforts,” the report stated, emphasizing that responsibility lies with those who had authority and opportunity to prevent the disaster.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has vowed no leniency for those found guilty of criminal negligence. During an emergency meeting on health sector affairs, he directed the Health Minister and Secretary to personally oversee improvements at PIMS on alternate days.
The inquiry has recommended criminal investigation into possible culpable electrical installation failures, obstruction of emergency routes, and any proven delay in emergency notification.
For Pakistani families, the tragedy underscores urgent questions about healthcare safety standards at government hospitals. The loss of 15 newborns in a single preventable incident has shaken public confidence and highlighted the gap between known risks and actual safety implementation in the country’s medical institutions.
