PM's inquiry committee to submit final PIMS tragedy report today

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has once again written to the relevant authorities regarding fire safety arrangements, while a petition seeking the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the PIMS tragedy has also been filed in the Islamabad High Court.

Alongside the inquiry committee formed by the prime minister, the PIMS administration has constituted a separate committee to investigate the incident. The committee on Thursday took the CCTV record of the hospital’s nursery into its custody and recorded statements of PIMS staff.

It also reviewed reports submitted by the fire brigade and emergency department as part of its investigation. Meanwhile, the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Health reviewed the PIMS tragedy and called for the suspension of doctors and staff who were on duty at the time of the incident.

The committee also demanded the resignation of Health Minister Mustafa Kamal. Dr Mahesh Kumar also visited the hospital and raised questions over the stated cause of the fire. He pointed out that it had initially been said that the fire started from an air conditioner, but it was later revealed that the AC was not even operational.

Dr Mahesh Kumar questioned the conflicting accounts and remarked that it appeared as if all the nurses had been made to sit together and memorise the same statement. His remarks added to the concerns surrounding the investigation and the circumstances that led to the tragic incident.