ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Health has raised serious questions over the investigation into the PIMS fire tragedy, with Senator Nasir Butt alleging that the original CCTV footage of the incident has been deleted.
The committee met under Chairman Senator Amir Waliuddin Chishti to review the deaths of 14 newborns at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal, Executive Director PIMS Dr. Muhammad Salman, and committee members attended the session.
PIMS Fire: Committee Rejects CCTV Footage
At the outset, prayers were offered for the victims. Members were shown CCTV footage of the nursery fire, but Senator Nasir Butt rejected it as “fake,” demanding the full two‑minute video of the blaze.
He claimed no doctors or nurses were present in the ward at the time and accused the administration of hiding the truth.
Previous Fire and Corruption Allegations
Senator Masroor Ahsan reminded the committee of a fire at the PIMS nurses’ hostel on July 6, which was not reported to the Health Ministry.
He alleged that records were deliberately disappeared by former Executive Director Rana Imran, accusing officials of shielding him despite multiple corruption allegations.
“Fourteen newborns were eaten to save one man,” he said, warning that such tragedies will recur if accountability is ignored.
Health Minister’s Response
Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal told the committee that the Prime Minister’s inquiry team submitted its interim report within 48 hours, recording staff statements independently.
He admitted the ministry was not informed about the earlier hostel fire, which was later mentioned in the inquiry report.
Regulatory Authority Under Fire
The committee also criticized the Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority, questioning why PIMS was never licensed or inspected.
Senator Rubina Khalid called the situation a conflict of interest, urging abolition of the authority. The acting CEO present failed to provide satisfactory answers.
Senate Hearing Background
The PIMS nursery fire on August 26 exposed gross negligence, absent staff, and ignored safety warnings.
The Senate committee’s latest session has intensified scrutiny, linking the tragedy to deeper governance failures in hospital oversight and regulation.
