Overview
- The August 26 fire at PIMS Mother and Child Hospital killed 14 of the 15 newborns in the nursery and one infant was saved by staff nurse Razia Noreen.
- The National Forensic Agency identified the electrical supply cable for AC Unit No. 2 as the most likely ignition point and the inquiry found no evidence of arson, an oxygen leak, an incubator fault, or an external IESCO failure.
- Investigators said the disaster was magnified by missing or nonfunctional safeguards: no automatic smoke detection, alarms or sprinklers; no rehearsed neonatal evacuation SOPs; an overcrowded 10‑bed unit holding 15 non‑self‑evacuating babies; and only minimal staff on duty.
- The committee recommended focused criminal probes into electrical maintenance, blocked emergency routes and any culpable delay in calling help, and the prime minister has suspended senior officers and ordered immediate audits and implementation of short‑term safety measures within three months.
- The report noted repeated prior warnings from the CDA, the Federal Ombudsman and a July 6 nursing‑hostel fire, and it called for independent verification of fixes, contractor scrutiny and alignment with WHO guidance to prevent similar tragedies.