Fire Claims Lives of 14 Newborns at Islamabad Hospital

Fourteen infants lost their lives on Wednesday in Islamabad when a fire erupted in the nursery of the city’s largest hospital, officials reported.

The blaze ignited just before 7 a.m. on the third floor of the maternity ward at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, according to the Islamabad district administration. Emergency responders sent six fire engines and four ambulances to the scene.

Islamabad lawmaker Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said that fifteen infants, four staff members and several mothers were present in the ward when the fire began, noting that doctors managed to save one newborn.

Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal stated that the fire originated from an exploding air‑conditioning unit and accelerated due to nearby oxygen cylinders.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for an immediate investigation, with his office saying those responsible must be identified and face the harshest penalties.

According to the World Bank, Pakistan’s health‑care spending ranks among the lowest in South Asia. Following the June national budget approval, the country’s leading doctors’ association warned that the health system is suffering from systemic collapse caused by structural neglect.

The facility, also referred to as PIMS, houses over 150 beds in its maternity wing, per its website. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan received a brief medical examination there on Friday.

This fire marks the most recent fatal incident involving children in the country over the past few months. In June, fourteen children perished after the roof of a tutoring centre collapsed on the outskirts of Lahore, Punjab.

Zia ur-Rehman and Salman Masood contributed reporting.

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