ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has demanded accountability and justice following the tragic deaths of 14 newborn babies in a fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in the federal capital, condemning the incident as “one of the worst tragedies in human history”.
In a statement posted on social media platform X, a visibly outraged Bhutto expressed deep sorrow over the loss, emphasizing the profound pain endured by the grieving families. He poignantly remarked that mothers do not carry their children in their wombs for nine months only for them to be “born and burn alive” due to negligence.
“The lights of hope for these innocent children were extinguished as soon as they were lit,” Bhutto stated, adding that the helpless fathers of the deceased are now demanding justice. He stressed that responsibility for the incident must be determined and the affected families provided justice.
The blaze erupted early Wednesday morning in the neonatal intensive care unit of PIMS, one of the largest state-run hospitals in the capital. Preliminary reports suggest the fire was triggered by an apparent air conditioning unit explosion or fault in the nursery. Of the 15 newborns present in the ward at the time, only one was rescued.
The tragedy has sparked nationwide outrage, with the PPP also demanding the resignation of Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed deep sorrow and ordered an immediate investigation, suspending a top health official
