Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has approved immediate suspension of eight officials identified by the inquiry committee constituted to probe the fire incident at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad.

He gave this approval while chairing a high-level meeting in Lahore today regarding the fire incident at PIMS, Islamabad.

The interim report of the inquiry committee was also presented during the meeting.

The Prime Minister also ordered initiation of departmental as well as criminal proceedings against those responsible elements. 

The eight officials include PIMS Executive Director Professor Dr Imran Sikandar, Joint Executive Directors Dr Mutahir Shah and Dr Owais Ali Shah, Head of Neonatal Department Professor Dr Sadia Riaz, Senior Registrar Dr Naghma, Dr Nosheela Amjad, PIMS Assistant Director Security Muhammad Usman and CDA Director General Emergency and Disaster Management Dr Abdul Rehman.

He also approved action against the private security company and its officials deployed at PIMS.

Shehbaz Sharif directed immediate appointments against the posts of officials who have been removed. He also appointed Chief Executive Officer of National Institutes of Health, Dr Muhammad Salman, as Acting Executive Director, PIMS.

He also approved conferment of Sitara-i-Khidmat on a nurse who risked her life to save newborn babies during the fire. He also ordered that a nurse and a female security guard present in the ward be made OSD and further inquiry be launched against them.

He also directed the inquiry committee, headed by Shahid Khan, to complete its investigation and submit a detailed final report.

The Prime Minister directed that the interim inquiry report be made public immediately and uploaded on the Ministry of National Health Services website.

He said those who committed negligence do not deserve any kind of concession. He expressed the resolve that those who demonstrated laxity would be brought to justice.

The Prime Minister expressed deep grief over the deaths of the children, saying that the entire nation shares the grief of the bereaved families.

He said exemplary punishment would be given to those responsible to ensure that no mother loses her child due to negligence in future.

During a briefing, the meeting was informed that the fire engulfed the neonatal ward in approximately two minutes. The initial inquiry revealed that no supervisory staff was present on duty at the time of the incident. Two nurses, a female security guard and a house officer were present in the ward. Emergency services were called six minutes after the fire broke out, while the first emergency response arrived 15 minutes later.

The inquiry found that the ward had no fire alarm or sprinkler system and that several World Health Organization requirements for neonatal facilities were not being followed.

The meeting was further informed that fire had also broken out at PIMS Nursing Hostel in July, but adequate safety measures had not subsequently been implemented.

The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers Ahad Khan Cheema, Attaullah Tarar and Syed Mustafa Kamal, inquiry committee members and senior officials.