Criminal cases ordered against eight over PIMS tragedy

Criminal cases will be registered against eight individuals found responsible for the PIMS hospital tragedy, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said on Friday.

Speaking to the media in Islamabad, the minister confirmed that action against the eight individuals would be taken under criminal laws.

Asked whether criminal charges would be brought against those held responsible, Chaudhry replied in the affirmative, saying each person would face punishment according to the extent of their responsibility for the tragedy.

He said the government had neither forgotten the PIMS incident nor would it allow those responsible to escape accountability.

“The investigation committee is working to determine further details,” the minister said, adding that the inquiry was being conducted carefully and comprehensively.

Chaudhry stressed that no one found responsible for the tragedy would be spared. He said the findings of the investigation would determine the level of responsibility of each individual and the corresponding legal action.

The minister’s remarks came during a visit to PIMS, where the tragedy had claimed the lives of 14 newborn babies.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Hamza Shahbaz also visited PIMS and expressed solidarity with the bereaved families. He said the authorities should take every possible measure to ensure that such incidents do not happen again.

The tragedy occurred on August 26 when a fire broke out in the gynaecology ward of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), resulting in the deaths of 14 newborn babies.

The incident sparked widespread concern over fire safety and emergency arrangements at the hospital. A grieving mother had earlier alleged that the doctors remained safe while the newborn babies were left exposed to the fire.

A report by the Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) fire department also raised serious questions about safety arrangements at PIMS. According to the report, the hospital lacked adequate fire-prevention measures and arrangements necessary for protecting human lives during an emergency.

The report further stated that emergency exit routes at the hospital had been permanently blocked from the outside, potentially making evacuation more difficult during the fire.

Meanwhile, the investigation into the incident is continuing as authorities seek to establish the circumstances that led to the deaths and determine individual responsibility.