PM rejects Mustafa Kamal’s resignation after PIMS fire

Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal reportedly submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Shehbaz

Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal reportedly submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif within hours of the deadly fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), but the premier did not accept it.

Highly informed sources said Kamal informed the Prime Minister’s Office about his decision shortly after the August 26 tragedy, in which 14 newborn babies died after a fire broke out at PIMS’ Mother and Child Health Centre.

According to the sources, the minister formally submitted his resignation in writing within hours of the incident. However, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif asked him to remain in office until an inquiry committee completed its investigation into the causes of the fire and determined responsibility.

The minister was also reportedly advised not to make the resignation public while the inquiry was under way.

The development is significant because the government took action against Federal Health Secretary Muhammad Aslam Ghori soon after the tragedy, while Kamal continued to serve as health minister. He later defended the government’s commitment to accountability before Parliament and the media.

When contacted for comment, Kamal did not respond to messages seeking confirmation about whether he had submitted his resignation or whether the prime minister had declined to accept it.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and senior officials associated with the Prime Minister were also contacted for their position. They said they had no information about any such resignation.

Kamal has continued to publicly support the inquiry into the PIMS tragedy. He has repeatedly said that those responsible would not be spared.

Addressing the Senate, the health minister said the incident could not be allowed to become a matter that remained in the news for only a few days. He also called for accountability and broader reforms in the health sector.

The development comes after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered action against senior PIMS officials following the submission of an interim inquiry report.

The prime minister ordered the suspension of eight officials, including PIMS Executive Director and senior officials of the Children’s Hospital and Mother and Child Health Centre. Criminal proceedings were also ordered against them.

The interim report identified serious shortcomings in the hospital’s emergency preparedness. It found that the neonatal nursery lacked detailed and adequately practised procedures for dealing with fires and evacuating newborns.

The report also recommended further technical and forensic investigations to determine the exact location and cause of the fire.

The reported resignation of the health minister adds another dimension to the government’s handling of the tragedy. According to sources, Kamal was prepared to step down immediately after the deaths, but the prime minister decided to keep him in office until the inquiry determined responsibility.