PIMS MCH Nursery Fire: inquiry committee formation raises questions

The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) has reconstituted an inquiry committee to investigate the fire

ISLAMABAD:The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) has reconstituted an inquiry committee to investigate the fire that broke out at the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Centre nursery on August 26, 2026. However, the formation of the new committee has raised questions about transparency and a possible conflict of interest.

According to an official notification issued on August 27, the committee has been assigned the task of determining the circumstances surrounding the fire and identifying the factors that led to the incident. The panel has also been directed to assess the hospital’s fire-safety arrangements and examine the response of staff and emergency teams during the incident.

The reconstituted committee is headed by Prof. Dr. Atif Inam Shami, Professor of General Surgery, who has been appointed chairman. Prof. Dr. Altaf Hussain, Professor of ENT and Prof. Dr. Sajid Rafique Abbasi, Professor of Nephrology, have been included as members. Dr. Aneza Jalil, Deputy Executive Director, has been appointed secretary of the committee.

The notification explains that the previous inquiry committee was superseded because Prof. Dr. Qasim Mehmood Buttar, Professor of Oncology was unavailable due to leave.

The appointment of Dr. Aneza Jalil as secretary has become a key point of concern. According to the notification, Dr. Jalil herself signed the order through which the committee was constituted and in which she was named as its secretary.

This has prompted questions about the independence of the inquiry, particularly because the Deputy Executive Director is part of the hospital’s administrative structure. The inquiry is expected to examine not only the cause of the fire but also the availability of fire-safety arrangements and the effectiveness of the emergency response.

Although her appointment does not by itself establish wrongdoing, critics argue that the arrangement could create a perception of a conflict of interest and may raise questions about whether the investigation can be viewed as fully independent.

The committee has been given a broad mandate to investigate the incident. Its terms of reference include determining the exact cause of the fire, assessing whether adequate and functional fire-safety measures were available, and evaluating the response time and effectiveness of rescue and firefighting operations.

The panel has also been authorised to examine any other matter considered relevant to the incident. Importantly, the committee has been directed to submit its report to the office of the Executive Director, PIMS, within 48 hours.

The report is required to include fixation of responsibility and clear recommendations, meaning the inquiry is expected to identify shortcomings and determine responsibility where applicable.

The notification states that the order was issued with the approval of the Executive Director, PIMS.

The August 26 fire at the MCH Nursery has raised serious concerns about patient safety, emergency preparedness and fire-management arrangements at PIMS, one of the country’s major public healthcare institutions.

The focus of the inquiry will now be on determining how the fire started, whether appropriate safety measures were in place and whether the emergency response was adequate.

As of the issuance of the notification, the PIMS administration had not publicly commented on the concerns surrounding the composition of the newly constituted inquiry committee.

The findings of the committee, particularly its assessment of fire-safety arrangements and the fixation of responsibility, are expected to provide important answers about the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.