ISLAMABAD: The devastating fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad continues to stir controversy, as opposition leaders have challenged the government’s official death toll of 14 newborns.
پمز میں جانبحق بچوں کی تعداد 14 ہے یا 30؟؟
پیپلز پارٹی کی رہنما اور قائمہ کمیٹی صحت کی رکن ڈاکٹر شازیہ صوبیہ نے انکشاف کیا ہے پمز میں ہلاک ہونے والے معصوم بچوں کی تعداد 14 نہیں بلکہ 30 سے زائد ہے، جس کی تائید پمز کا دورہ کرنے والے پی ٹی آئی کے رہنما فہیم خان نے بھی کی۔ pic.twitter.com/xUC5byWKHY
— ALI FURQAN علی فرقان (@pressman_PK) August 27, 2026
Dr. Shazia Subia of the PPP, citing accounts from grieving families, claimed that more than 40 to 50 children perished in the blaze, a figure echoed by PTI leader Faheem Khan after his visit to the hospital.
PIMS fire: Grieving mother alleges fire was deliberately set
Parents allege that the bodies of burnt children were handed over without DNA testing, raising questions about transparency and accountability.
The government, however, maintains that 14 infants died in PIMS fire, with one rescued from the nursery.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has suspended the health secretary and ordered a high-level inquiry into the PIMS fire incident, which was reportedly triggered by an air-conditioning blast in the Mother and Child Health ward.
The tragedy has drawn international sympathy, with Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, France, Spain, China, Nigeria, Afghanistan, and the UK expressing condolences.
As investigations proceed, the discrepancy in reported figures has deepened public mistrust, with families demanding answers and opposition leaders calling for immediate accountability.
