Grieving parents demand answers as lawmakers seek transparent investigation and resignations following deadly Islamabad hospital blaze
ISLAMABAD: Heartbreaking scenes unfolded at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) on Thursday as authorities handed over the bodies of 14 newborn babies killed in Wednesday’s hospital fire to their grieving families.
Parents gathered at the hospital to receive their children while demanding answers over how the deadly blaze occurred and whether negligence contributed to the tragedy.
Meanwhile, authorities have yet to establish the exact cause of the fire, increasing demands for accountability and an independent investigation.
Lawmakers Demand Resignations and Transparent Probe
Members of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Health, led by Mahesh Kumar Malani, visited PIMS on Thursday and demanded the resignations of Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal and the PIMS director.
Malani said the committee would formally take up the tragedy at its meeting and seek a transparent investigation. Moreover, he stressed that investigators must establish the facts and take action against any officials found responsible without discrimination.
He said authorities had still not determined how the fire started.
Separately, newly appointed Federal Health Secretary Mehmood Rai visited PIMS late Wednesday night and established tents where patients and visitors could register complaints. Authorities equipped the camps with lights, fans and chairs.
UN Chief Offers Condolences After Tragedy
Rai said he would visit the hospital daily to hear public grievances and oversee efforts to address concerns following the tragedy.
Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres expressed sorrow over the deaths of the 14 newborns and conveyed condolences and sympathies to their families.
Guterres described the hospital tragedy as extremely unfortunate and offered cooperation to the Pakistani government.
As grieving families seek answers, pressure continues to mount on authorities to establish the fire’s cause, determine responsibility and ensure measures that prevent another such tragedy.
