Pakistani celebrities have joined growing calls for accountability after the deaths of 14 newborn babies in a fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad.
Actors Sajal Aly, Mahira Khan and Rubina Ashraf expressed anger and grief following remarks by a doctor who defended the hospital’s medical staff and urged people not to blame doctors before the official investigation is completed.
The tragedy has triggered widespread public outrage, with grieving families demanding answers about what happened inside the neonatal unit and whether adequate safety measures were in place.
14 Newborns Die in PIMS Fire
The fire broke out on August 26 in the Mother and Child Health ward at PIMS.
According to officials, 15 newborn babies were present in the affected unit when the incident occurred. One baby was rescued, while 14 newborns lost their lives.
The deaths have raised serious questions about fire safety, emergency procedures and the hospital’s ability to protect critically ill infants.
A high-level inquiry has been launched to determine how the fire started and whether any negligence or safety failures contributed to the deaths.
However, the exact cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
Initial official statements suggested that an air-conditioner may have exploded and triggered the fire. An initial PIMS report, meanwhile, linked the incident to an oxygen-related ignition near an incubator.
A National Assembly health committee later said a technical fault could have been responsible.
The differing explanations have added to public demands for a transparent investigation.
Doctor Defends Hospital Staff
Amid the growing criticism, a doctor issued a video statement defending the medical staff working at the hospital.
He rejected suggestions that doctors were responsible for delays or negligence during the emergency.
The doctor said medical professionals often work extremely long shifts and face difficult conditions while caring for critically ill patients.
He also stressed that premature and medically fragile newborns are particularly vulnerable to smoke, fire and other emergencies.
According to the doctor, police, rescue personnel and medical staff were present during the incident and attempted to respond to the emergency.
He argued that doctors and other hospital workers should not be declared responsible before investigators establish exactly what happened.
The remarks were intended to defend healthcare workers from what the doctor considered premature accusations.
However, they received a strong reaction from celebrities and members of the public.
For many critics, the issue is not simply whether individual doctors were responsible.
They believe the tragedy raises wider questions about hospital management, fire prevention, emergency preparedness and institutional accountability.
Sajal Aly Demands Accountability
Sajal Aly was among the celebrities who responded strongly to the controversy.
In an Instagram Story, the actress highlighted the loss of the 14 newborns and questioned whether the tragedy could simply be treated as an unfortunate accident.
Her message reflected the frustration of families who have lost their children and are now seeking an explanation.
Sajal also objected to the idea that grieving families should simply be told to have “sabr” and accept the tragedy.
Her message stressed that patience and condolences cannot replace accountability.
For the actress, families deserve to know what happened, why it happened and whether anyone failed to perform their responsibilities.
She also called for consequences if the investigation establishes that individuals were responsible for negligence.
Her reaction resonated with many people online who believe that institutional failures must be addressed instead of allowing the incident to disappear from public attention.
The tragedy has particularly affected the public because the victims were newborn children who were already receiving medical care and were among the most vulnerable patients in the hospital.
Mahira Khan Questions Repeated Tragedies
Mahira Khan also expressed her anger and sadness following the deaths.
The actress broadened the discussion beyond the PIMS incident, pointing to what she described as a recurring pattern of deaths linked to negligence, power, misogyny and silence.
Her message questioned how many more lives would have to be lost before meaningful accountability became a reality.
Mahira also expressed sympathy for families affected by several recent tragedies.
Her response reflected a growing frustration among members of the public who believe that major incidents often generate immediate outrage, condolences and promises of investigations but eventually disappear from public discussion.
The actress’ comments focused on the importance of accountability rather than simply expressing grief after every tragedy.
Her reaction also highlighted the emotional impact of the PIMS fire on people across the country.
The deaths of newborn babies have generated particularly intense public anger because families had entrusted the hospital with the care of their children.
Rubina Ashraf Calls It a “Black Day”
Veteran actress Rubina Ashraf also reacted emotionally to the tragedy.
She described the incident as a “black day” and referred to it as sheer negligence.
Her response reflected the anger being expressed across social media following the fire.
Like other celebrities, Rubina’s reaction focused on the devastating loss of innocent lives and the need to determine who should be held responsible.
The reactions from prominent actors have added to the pressure on authorities to provide a clear explanation of the incident.
Their statements also reflect wider public concern over safety standards in hospitals and the protection available to vulnerable patients.
Families Raise Questions About Emergency Response
The controversy is not limited to statements from celebrities.
Parents and witnesses have also raised questions about what happened inside the neonatal unit when the fire broke out.
Among the concerns are questions about access to the ward, the availability of staff and the speed of the emergency response.
The presence of critically ill newborns creates unique challenges during a fire.
Many babies in neonatal units require incubators, oxygen support and continuous medical monitoring.
Moving them during an emergency can therefore be extremely difficult and dangerous.
This makes fire prevention, emergency planning and evacuation procedures particularly important in such facilities.
Questions are now being raised about whether the ward had adequate fire-safety arrangements and whether staff had sufficient training and equipment to deal with an emergency of this scale.
The investigation is expected to examine these issues in detail.
Cause of Fire Still Under Investigation
Authorities have yet to establish a final cause for the fire.
The initial reference to an air-conditioner failure differs from the PIMS report suggesting an oxygen-related ignition.
The National Assembly health committee’s reference to a possible technical fault has added another dimension to the investigation.
These differences have made a detailed and independent inquiry even more important.
Determining the cause of the fire will be only one part of the investigation.
Authorities will also need to establish whether the hospital complied with required safety standards and whether emergency procedures were properly followed.
The inquiry may also examine the availability of firefighting equipment, alarms, emergency exits, electrical systems and oxygen-related safety measures.
If investigators identify negligence or violations, families and the public are likely to demand disciplinary or legal action.
Accountability Becomes Central Issue
The debate surrounding the PIMS tragedy has increasingly moved beyond the question of who was physically present when the fire started.
The larger question is whether the hospital’s systems were capable of protecting newborn patients from a foreseeable emergency.
Hospitals treating premature and critically ill babies require particularly strict safety measures.
A fire inside such a facility can become catastrophic within minutes.
For this reason, critics argue that accountability should include hospital administration and safety systems, rather than focusing only on individual doctors or nurses.
At the same time, healthcare professionals have warned against blaming medical workers without evidence.
The doctor’s comments reflect this concern.
Medical staff may have been dealing with an extremely difficult situation under dangerous conditions, and the investigation should establish the facts before assigning individual responsibility.
The two positions are not necessarily contradictory.
Doctors can be protected from unfair accusations while hospital management and authorities are still required to answer questions about safety failures.
Grieving Families Want More Than Condolences
For the families who lost their newborns, the tragedy cannot be reduced to a debate on social media.
They have lost children who were already receiving treatment and whom they expected to bring home.
Their grief has intensified public demands for transparency.
The central demand from critics is straightforward: families should be told exactly what happened.
If the tragedy was caused by an unavoidable technical failure, authorities must explain why.
If safety procedures were inadequate, those responsible must be identified.
And if negligence contributed to the deaths, the affected families expect meaningful action.
The celebrities’ responses have amplified that demand.
Sajal Aly’s rejection of simply asking grieving parents to remain patient captured the frustration surrounding the incident.
Mahira Khan’s broader comments highlighted concerns about repeated tragedies without sufficient accountability.
Rubina Ashraf’s description of the incident as a “black day” reflected the emotional response shared by many Pakistanis.
Investigation Will Determine Responsibility
The final findings of the inquiry will be crucial.
Authorities must establish the cause of the fire, reconstruct the emergency response and determine whether hospital safety standards were followed.
The investigation should also clarify whether medical staff had the necessary resources and training to evacuate newborns safely.
Equally important will be identifying any administrative or institutional failures that may have contributed to the tragedy.
For grieving families, a credible investigation could provide answers that condolences alone cannot.
The PIMS fire has also raised a broader question about safety standards in Pakistan’s public hospitals.
Medical facilities are expected to protect patients at their most vulnerable moments.
For newborns in intensive or neonatal care, that responsibility is even greater.
The deaths of 14 babies have therefore become more than an individual hospital tragedy. They have sparked a national conversation about hospital safety, emergency preparedness and accountability.
As the inquiry continues, families, celebrities and the wider public are waiting for authorities to provide clear answers.
Until then, the demand remains the same: not just condolences, but accountability.
