Inquiry blames systemic failures for deadly PIMS nursery fire
A probe into the August 26 blaze at PIMS' Mother and Child Hospital nursery concluded that institutional shortcomings and an electrical fault caused the death of 14 newborns.
An investigation commissioned after the August 26 fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences' Mother and Child Hospital nursery determined that an electrical malfunction was the most probable trigger. The inquiry, formed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the incident's day, was led by former interior secretary Shahid Khan and produced a 43-page document outlining its findings. The report declares that systemic and institutional failures were evident, with PIMS and its senior leadership bearing primary responsibility for not translating known risks and prior warnings into a functional safety framework.
While individual culpability varies according to the strength of evidence, eight officials have faced criminal action. The findings highlight deep-seated shortcomings in hospital safety protocols and call for comprehensive reforms.
Why it matters
The report exposes critical safety lapses in a major public hospital, prompting legal action and reforms to protect vulnerable patients.
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