IHC issues notices on plea for case over PIMS nursery fire

The Islamabad High Court has issued notices to the federal government and others on a petition seeking registration of a case over the deaths of children in the fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), as well as compensation for the affected families, The Express Tribune reported.

Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro heard the petition, which was filed by lawyer Riaz Hanif Rahi. The court suspended an order by a justice of the peace that had dismissed an application for registration of an FIR. The petitioner said the justice of the peace dismissed it because petitions on the matter were already pending before the high court. He also said no FIR had been registered to date over the deaths.

Notices went to the Prime Minister's Office, the Ministry of Health, the Establishment Division, the Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority, the Auditor General, the chief commissioner, the deputy commissioner, the Capital Development Authority, Capital Emergency Services, the PIMS executive director, the Islamabad inspector general of police and the FIA director general. The court also summoned the complete record, including the inquiry report. Further proceedings were adjourned until November 12.

According to the report, fourteen newborn babies were killed on August 26 after a fire broke out on the third floor of the Mother and Child Hospital's ward at PIMS. Another child died later, on September 17.

An inquiry committee presented its interim report to the prime minister on August 29. It led to the suspension of eight high-ranking officers from PIMS and external agencies, with disciplinary proceedings started against them. The interim report recommended a civil and monetary award for Nurse Razia, who saved a newborn from the fire, and placed the charge nurse and a security guard off duty.

On September 15, the committee formed by the prime minister concluded that the tragedy resulted from "systemic and institutional failures". It placed primary responsibility on PIMS and its senior management for failing to address known safety risks. Its 52-point investigation found multiple safety measures absent, inadequate, not activated in time or never independently verified.

The committee said an individual's criminal responsibility would have to be determined separately under the relevant rules and available evidence. It recommended immediate fire-safety measures, a comprehensive electrical-safety audit, working fire-detection, alarm, firefighting and evacuation systems, dedicated SOPs for evacuating newborns, and realistic fire and evacuation drills.