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Following the deaths of 14 newborn babies in a fire at the gynaecology ward of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), hospital authorities have begun temporarily referring complex gynaecological cases to Polyclinic and hospitals in Rawalpindi.

The move comes as the hospital works to restore services after the deadly incident. A temporary office of the federal Ministry of Health has also been established at PIMS to allow officials to directly monitor rehabilitation efforts and address patients’ concerns.

A senior gynaecologist said there was no formal policy to send patients back or refer all cases elsewhere. However, with the nursery destroyed in the fire and repairs expected to take time, critically ill and high-risk cases are being referred to other hospitals where necessary.

Despite the temporary arrangements, PIMS continued to handle complex cases. On Thursday, the hospital performed three to four complicated deliveries, according to officials.

Hospital management is also conscious that transferring all patients to other facilities could place significant pressure on their existing capacity. As a result, only cases considered to require urgent referral are being moved to other hospitals.

Health Ministry Office Shifted to PIMS

Newly appointed Health Secretary Captain (retd) Muhammad Mahmood said he would spend most of his time at PIMS to gain a firsthand understanding of the hospital’s challenges and would operate the ministry from the facility.

Speaking to the media, Mahmood acknowledged that he was new to the health sector but said his experience as an administrator would help him address the hospital’s infrastructure and governance challenges.

He said he was committed to bringing PIMS infrastructure closer to international standards and improving governance through the use of modern technology.

Mahmood added that after attending important meetings chaired by Prime Minister, he would return to PIMS to continue overseeing the situation.

The temporary relocation of the ministry’s operations to PIMS comes as authorities face mounting pressure to restore normal healthcare services while investigations into the fire, safety arrangements and the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the 14 newborns continue.

Also Read: Officer With Controversial History Given Additional Charge of Health Secretary After PIMS Tragedy

The federal government has suspended Health Secretary Muhammad Aslam Ghouri following the deaths of 14 newborn babies at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad and assigned the additional charge of Secretary National Health Services to Housing and Works Secretary Captain (retd) Muhammad Mahmood.

A Grade-21 officer, Mahmood will hold the additional portfolio for three months or until a permanent secretary is appointed, whichever comes first. He will continue to serve as Secretary of the Housing and Works Division alongside his new responsibilities.

The change comes in the aftermath of a deadly fire in the nursery of the PIMS maternity and child health ward on Wednesday, which claimed the lives of 14 newborns. Questions have since been raised over fire-safety arrangements at the hospital, emergency response procedures and possible administrative negligence.

A fact-finding committee constituted by Prime Minister has begun investigating the incident. According to sources, members of the committee visited the Fire Brigade Headquarters and recorded statements from personnel involved in the rescue operation.

The committee is also examining the timeline from the outbreak of the fire until the arrival of rescue teams, the response time of the fire brigade and obstacles encountered during the operation. Its findings are expected to determine whether administrative failures or other lapses contributed to the tragedy.

Mahmood brings extensive experience in federal and provincial administration to the health ministry, having held several senior positions during his career. In 2013, he was appointed managing director of the Nandipur Power Project while serving as a Grade-20 officer.

His career has also been marked by controversies and official inquiries. In 2021, his name emerged in connection with the Rawalpindi Ring Road project controversy, when he was serving as Rawalpindi commissioner and project director. The Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment arrested him in connection with alleged irregularities in the project.

Also Read: PIMS Faced Another Fire Incident in July, Inquiry Recommendations Ignored: Documents

Investigations into the Ring Road scheme pointed to alleged irregularities involving changes to the project’s alignment and its cost. Despite the controversy, Mahmood continued to receive appointments to senior government positions.

He subsequently served as Additional Secretary in the Petroleum Division of the Ministry of Energy and was appointed Federal Secretary for National Food Security and Research in 2023. During his tenure, he was also summoned in connection with an inquiry into wheat imports.

In 2024, Mahmood served as Secretary of the Ministry of Information Technology before being made an officer on special duty (OSD) in July and directed to report to the Establishment Division. The move followed allegations concerning dues owed by LDI companies and related policy matters. Mahmood denied any wrongdoing.

His latest appointment places him at the helm of the health ministry at a particularly sensitive moment, with investigations into the PIMS tragedy underway. The decision to entrust him with the ministry’s additional charge, rather than appointing him as permanent health secretary, has also raised questions given his previous senior administrative assignments and the controversies associated with some of them.

For now, the government has limited Mahmood’s additional responsibility to three months or until a permanent secretary is appointed. His immediate challenge will be to oversee the health ministry while the investigation into the PIMS fire proceeds and to address concerns surrounding hospital safety, emergency preparedness and administrative oversight.

The inquiry committee’s final report is expected to shed light on the causes of the fire, the adequacy of safety arrangements and whether any administrative or operational failures contributed to the deaths of the 14 newborns.

ISLAMABAD: A notification has been issued for the formation of an inquiry committee to investigate the fire incident at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Hospital.

According to the notification, retired federal secretary Shahid Khan has been appointed chairman of the inquiry committee. Major General (retd) Dr Khursheed Atra, Dr Nabeel Awan and the Islamabad deputy commissioner will serve as members.

The committee will determine the causes of the fire at PIMS and establish a complete timeline of the incident. It will also review the emergency response and rescue operations carried out by hospital staff, the fire brigade and rescue agencies.

The committee will examine compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs) concerning the evacuation of newborn and high-risk babies, as well as the fire safety infrastructure and safety regulations at PIMS.

Also Read: Initial Probe Finds Nebulizer Explosion Caused PIMS Nursery Fire

It will also identify individuals responsible for any negligence in the incident and determine their respective responsibilities. In addition, the committee will recommend reforms to PIMS’s administrative system to prevent similar incidents in the future.

According to the notification, the committee will submit an interim report to the prime minister within 48 hours, while a comprehensive report containing its findings and recommendations will be submitted within five days.

The Ministry of National Health has also been directed to immediately notify the inquiry committee and provide it with the necessary assistance.

ISLAMABAD: A fire incident had also occurred at PIMS Hospital a month before the recent tragedy at the hospital’s nursery, according to documents.

The documents stated that a fire broke out at the reception area of the PIMS Nursing Hostel at around 3 a.m. on the night of July 6.

The 78 female students residing at the hostel remained safe, and there were no casualties in the incident.

According to the documents, three sofas placed in the reception area were destroyed in the fire.

The final cause of the fire could not be determined due to the absence of electrical and forensic reports, the documents said.

The inquiry committee had recommended departmental action against the hostel warden and security staff.

Also Read: Initial Probe Finds Nebulizer Explosion Caused PIMS Nursery Fire

The documents further revealed that the hostel had no CCTV cameras, fire alarm or emergency plan in place.

The July fire inquiry report had also recommended the suspension of junior staff, according to the documents.

However, the recommendations presented in the July inquiry report were not acted upon, the documents stated.

Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said he was unaware of the July 6 incident.

ISLAMABAD: Fifteen newborn babies were killed after a fire broke out in the nursery of PIMS Hospital in Islamabad, while a lady doctor managed to rescue one baby alive.

According to rescue sources, the fire was caused by an air-conditioning compressor explosion, resulting in the deaths of 15 newborns present in the nursery.

Rescue sources said the fire broke out at 6:45 a.m. Officials at PIMS Hospital said 16 babies were present in the nursery when the fire erupted.

Rescue authorities said that after the fire was brought under control, the cooling process was initiated at the nursery.

Also Read: Supreme Court Clears Way for Hearing of PTI Contempt Petition in Imran Khan Case

PIMS chief Professor Imran Sikandar, speaking to ARY News, confirmed that 14 newborns had died in the incident.

According to the Executive Director of PIMS, one newborn and several adults were rescued. He said an investigation into the fire was underway, while the exact cause of the blaze had not yet been determined. He added that the incident would be investigated from all aspects.

ISLAMABAD: An initial investigation report into the tragic incident at the nursery of the Gynecology Ward at PIMS Hospital in Islamabad has been prepared, revealing key findings about the cause of the fire.

According to the preliminary report, the incident was not caused by an air-conditioner compressor explosion or an electrical short circuit. Instead, the fire broke out after a nebulizer connected to an incubator, used to measure the amount of oxygen, exploded.

The report said that the explosion of the nebulizer near the incubator caused the oxygen to catch fire immediately. Although the intensity of the fire was initially low, the presence of oxygen caused it to spread rapidly.

According to the report, the fire generated heavy smoke inside the nursery, which entered the respiratory systems of the infants through the pipes. The disruption of oxygen supply during the incident was also identified as a major cause of the newborns’ deaths.

Also Read: Islamabad Chief Commissioner Seeks Early Hearing of Review Plea Against Imran Khan Hospital Transfer Order

The federal government had taken strict measures following the PIMS tragedy. Federal Health Secretary Aslam Ghori has been suspended from his post, while a high-level committee headed by former Interior Secretary Shahid Khan is investigating the incident on the orders of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Meanwhile, conflicting claims have emerged between the CDA Fire Brigade report and statements by PIMS Executive Director Rana Imran Sikandar. The PIMS executive director said the hospital had a satisfactory fire safety system and that staff made every effort to save the babies. However, the CDA report pointed to inadequate fire safety arrangements.

Following the release of the preliminary report, the administration and investigation teams are now examining further technical aspects of the incident.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said that the Constitution provides that the rights of the provinces can be increased but not reduced.

Fazlur Rehman said religious seminary education was being treated as a crime and that religious seminaries were being targeted. He said that when someone in Pakistan speaks about Islam, they are described in terms of various allegations.

He said there was no uncertainty on their part and that they were not facing any anxiety. According to him, the Constitution was a national pact, but even it was no longer being respected and legislation was being carried out.

He said fear was created among the people and the nation was blackmailed, adding that throughout the 79 years, Islam had never been a priority, nor had Islamic legislation been a priority. He said rulers kept saying that such matters would be addressed later.

Fazlur Rehman said a “fake parliament” had been brought into existence to pass legislation according to their wishes. He added that they considered the defence of Pakistan essential and wanted to see the country strong.

He said they had doubts about the intentions of the rulers, adding that the 18th Amendment and the powers granted to the provinces under it had become a thorn in their side.

Also Read: Maulana Fazlur Rehman Announces Formation of ‘United Opposition’

He said the Constitution stated that provincial rights would be increased and could not be reduced. He added that when new provinces were created and existing provinces were divided, a new National Finance Commission (NFC) Award would follow.

Fazlur Rehman said these were among the reasons why they had proposed that the opposition should at least properly perform its role as an opposition and become organised within Parliament.

He said consultations should take place and that a declaration on the matter would also be issued soon. He said the opposition had discussed how it would work together in the assemblies, monitor legislation, keep an eye on government measures and counter them.

He said all these matters had been discussed and that there was a need for such coordination. Otherwise, he said, the government had been taking advantage of divisions within the opposition and was not even being held accountable over whether it was acting according to the Constitution.

Fazlur Rehman said a system had been established in the Constitution and that it was now the responsibility of Parliament to follow it. He warned that if the Constitution was ended in this manner, a new Constituent Assembly would have to be formed.