ISLAMABAD, Aug 31, 2026: The National Assembly Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination on Monday reviewed in detail the inquiry report into the tragic fire incident at the nursery of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).
The meeting was held in Committee Room No 5 at Parliament House. During the proceedings, members of the committee raised several questions over the inquiry report and expressed serious reservations regarding the actual cause of the fire, fixation of responsibility, fire safety arrangements at the hospital, deployment of staff, emergency response capacity and implementation of the relevant standard operating procedures.
The committee observed that the exact source and cause of the fire had not yet been conclusively determined. The chairman of the committee said CCTV footage from inside the nursery was of critical importance for determining responsibility, as it could show the situation inside the nursery at the time of the incident and the steps taken by the staff after the fire broke out.
The chairman questioned whether any staff member was present inside the nursery at the time of the incident. He said the available information showed only three nurses outside the nursery, while it was not clear who was present inside at that time. The committee stressed the need for a complete explanation of the matter and sought the relevant CCTV record.
The committee also expressed dissatisfaction over the statement of the former executive director of PIMS that the fire had been caused by the bursting of a compressor. Members questioned the basis for declaring the compressor as the cause of the incident when the actual source of the fire had not yet been clearly established.
The meeting also reviewed matters relating to biomedical engineers, the HVAC system and the hospital’s technical and maintenance arrangements. The committee voiced concern over reports regarding the improper functioning of the HVAC system and asked why the relevant technical staff had not ensured timely inspection and maintenance of the equipment and systems.
The committee expressed serious reservations over fire safety and emergency response arrangements, particularly in the nursery for newborn babies. Members asked whether regular fire drills were being held at the hospital and whether staff posted in highly sensitive areas such as the nursery had been trained to take immediate and effective action in case of a fire.
The committee noted that an effective and functional fire safety system was a basic requirement in any hospital. Members asked whether proper and functional fire alarm, fire detection, firefighting equipment and emergency response systems existed in the PIMS nursery and other sensitive departments.
The committee also sought clarification on staff shortage and recruitment, asking whether important and sensitive departments had staff according to their requirements.
During the meeting, questions were also raised about the role of the Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority (IHRA). The committee said it was the responsibility of the relevant regulatory institutions to ensure implementation of necessary fire safety precautions and SOPs. However, it observed that effective implementation of the required precautionary measures was not visible in this case.
The committee also expressed concern that recommendations made in the past by a sub-committee of the standing committee regarding fire safety and protective measures had not been fully implemented by the ministry.
The chairman of the standing committee made it clear that there should be no point-scoring over the tragic incident. He said it was not an issue concerning one institution or individual but a national matter, and that the nation was grieved over the tragedy. He said the loss of innocent newborn lives was an extremely tragic incident, and the objective was not to blame anyone without reason but to bring facts to light, determine responsibility and ensure prevention of such incidents in future.
The chairman said the incident should be taken as a wake-up call for hospitals across the country. He said all hospitals, particularly neonatal departments, must ensure complete and functional fire safety systems, trained staff, regular fire drills, properly working HVAC and electrical systems, timely technical inspections and strict implementation of safety SOPs.
The committee decided to obtain further information and evidence regarding the actual source of the incident, CCTV footage, deployment of staff in the nursery, fire safety arrangements, fire drills, the HVAC system, biomedical engineering inspections, availability of staff, implementation of safety measures by IHRA and implementation of previous recommendations of the standing committee.
The standing committee expressed its resolve that responsibility would be determined on the basis of facts and evidence, and effective steps would be ensured to prevent such tragic incidents in future.
