ISLAMABAD — The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has demanded the resignation of Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal over the deaths of 14 newborn babies in a fire at PIMS Hospital.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and described the deaths of the 14 newborns as one of the worst tragedies in human history. He said the hopes of families were extinguished just as their children’s lives had begun.
Bilawal said the fathers of the deceased babies were demanding justice, while mothers did not carry their children for nine months only for them to become victims of negligence.
PPP leader and Senator Sherry Rehman also visited PIMS and spoke to the media about the incident. She alleged that there was no water in the fire tanks, doctors were not present and some gates were closed at the time of the tragedy.
Sherry Rehman said the PPP had not come to PIMS to engage in politics, but it was the responsibility of political leaders to ask questions about the incident and determine who was responsible.
She said the responsible minister should voluntarily resign following such a serious incident. According to her, the circumstances surrounding the fire require accountability and a clear explanation from the relevant authorities.
PPP leader Nayyar Bukhari also criticized the government’s response. He said removing one secretary from office would not be enough to address the issue.
Bukhari questioned the ability of the federal health ministry to manage the country’s major hospitals, saying that if the ministry could not properly manage two hospitals, questions could be raised about its ability to oversee healthcare facilities across the country.
He demanded that the Ministry of National Health Services be held accountable for the incident. He said the ministry should have been monitoring the performance of PIMS administration and ensuring that necessary safety arrangements were in place.
Sindh government spokesperson Sadia Javed also criticized the federal government over the tragedy. She said the deaths of 14 innocent babies at PIMS should not be treated as merely an accident.
According to Sadia Javed, the incident represented a serious failure of the federal healthcare system and reflected administrative negligence. She said the federal health minister should accept responsibility for the failure.
The PPP’s demands come after a fire broke out in the nursery of PIMS Hospital’s gynecology ward, killing 14 newborn babies. Hospital authorities said 15 babies were present in the nursery when the fire started, while only one baby was reportedly rescued.
The tragedy has raised serious questions about fire safety arrangements, emergency exits, firefighting equipment, staff availability and the overall management of the hospital.
A report by the Capital Development Authority’s Fire Brigade Department has also reportedly identified shortcomings in fire prevention and arrangements for protecting human lives at PIMS.
The report highlighted problems with emergency exits and evacuation routes and stated that obstacles created difficulties during the firefighting operation. Rescue sources also reported issues involving water supplies, fire hoses and locked emergency exits.
The PPP has used these reported deficiencies to demand accountability from the federal health authorities.
The controversy is likely to continue as investigations into the incident proceed. Families of the deceased newborns are seeking answers about how the fire occurred and whether better safety arrangements could have prevented the loss of life.
The PPP has made clear that it believes responsibility should extend beyond individual hospital officials. Its leaders are calling for accountability at the level of the federal health ministry and demanding that the health minister accept responsibility.
The government will now face pressure to provide a detailed explanation of the hospital’s fire safety arrangements and the steps taken to prevent such incidents.
The tragedy has also highlighted the need for stronger fire safety standards in hospitals across Pakistan. Properly functioning fire alarms, accessible emergency exits, trained staff, firefighting equipment and regular safety drills are essential for protecting vulnerable patients.
For the families who lost their newborn children, however, the immediate priority remains justice and accountability. The PPP has called for those responsible to be identified and for meaningful action to be taken rather than limiting the response to the removal of a single official.
The demand for Mustafa Kamal’s resignation has therefore added a political dimension to an already serious national tragedy. The final responsibility for the incident will depend on the findings of official investigations and whether negligence or administrative failures are established.
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