Islamabad: Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry has announced a financial compensation package of Rs5 million for each family affected by the tragic fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), which claimed the lives of 14 infants.
The deadly blaze broke out at approximately 6:40 am on Wednesday, 26 August 2026, on the third floor of the Mother and Child Health (MCH) ward. It quickly swept through the neonatal nursery housing 15 infants, trapping the newborns as flames spread along oxygen lines before rescue teams could contain the inferno.
Speaking to the media at PIMS, Chaudhry recalled the incident, expressing deep regret over the loss of life caused by what he described as "someone's criminal negligence."
Following the tragedy, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif ordered an immediate high-level probe into the incident and suspended Federal Health Secretary Aslam Ghori. The Prime Minister's Office constituted an inquiry panel led by former federal secretary Shahid Khan, which was instructed to submit an interim report within 48 hours and a comprehensive final report within five days.
Preliminary information from rescue officials and early administrative assessments indicates that the fire originated inside the ward when an air-conditioning unit or electrical fault sparked and ignited nearby oxygen lines. Official findings will be finalised once the committee concludes its investigation.
Chaudhry assured that the inquiry process would ensure accountability, stating that all on-duty personnel found guilty of negligence would receive exemplary punishment.
Acknowledging the profound emotional toll on the affected relatives, Chaudhry noted that no financial assistance could compensate for their loss. "Neither can their children be brought back, nor can their grief be reduced," he said, adding that the compensation was intended solely to offer some relief to the grieving parents.
The minister visited PIMS to present a cheque to one of the affected families on behalf of the prime minister. He clarified that all compensation funds would be transferred directly into the bank accounts of the deceased children's mothers.
