Pims fire: Shehbaz vows no leniency for officials found negligent
Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.
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- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired an emergency meeting on the Pims hospital fire and vowed that officials found guilty of criminal negligence would face no leniency.
- An interim inquiry identified eight officials for departmental and criminal action after the fire killed 14 infants.
- Parliamentary committees questioned the inquiry, citing incomplete CCTV footage and a dispute over the number of infants in the nursery.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has promised that officials found responsible for the deaths of 14 infants in a fire at Islamabad’s Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences will not be protected from prosecution.
“No leniency will be shown to officials found guilty of criminal negligence,” Shehbaz said while chairing an emergency meeting on health affairs and the blaze at the hospital’s gynaecology ward. Health Minister Mustafa Kamal also assured the meeting that those responsible would “not be spared.”
The prime minister ordered the health minister and health secretary to attend Pims in person on alternate days and supervise improvements to its facilities. He also directed authorities to implement all necessary safety measures, improve medical and treatment services, and accelerate health-sector reforms.
No leniency will be shown to officials found guilty of criminal negligence.
The interim inquiry report led Shehbaz to order the suspension of eight officials and criminal action under relevant laws. Those named include former Pims executive director Prof Dr Imran Sikandar, neonatology officials Prof Dr Sadia Riaz and Dr Nagham, hospital administrators, a Capital Development Authority official and an assistant director responsible for security.
The investigation has nevertheless come under scrutiny in parliament. Standing committees in both houses questioned the report on Monday, pointing to incomplete CCTV footage and disagreement over how many infants were present in the nursery. The National Assembly Standing Committee on Health said it was not satisfied with the inquiry committee’s findings.
not be spared
About this summary
Originally published by Dawn in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.
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