Islamabad, August 27, 2026: Members of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination on Thursday raised serious questions over the cause of the deadly fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), saying a “technical fault” could have triggered the blaze that claimed the lives of 14 infants.
The committee said the exact source of the fire remained unknown, while conflicting accounts from hospital staff and questions about the condition and maintenance of the nursery prompted calls for a detailed investigation into possible negligence, electrical faults and problems with the oxygen supply system.
Committee Chairperson Mahesh Kumar Malani told reporters in Islamabad that it had yet to be established whether the fire resulted from negligence or a natural cause, although initial indications suggested a possible technical fault.
“We have to see whether the fire was the result of negligence or a natural cause. It appears that there may have been a technical fault,” Malani said.
He rejected the impression that the source of the fire had been conclusively established as an air conditioner, despite Health Minister Mustafa Kamal having earlier attributed the incident to a spark in the AC.
Malani said one of the air conditioners was old but had not been functioning for some time, while two others installed in the nursery were portable units. According to him, one doctor claimed that a spark had originated from a bundle of wires, while nurses said the fire erupted suddenly.
“So no one saw where the spark came from. We have concluded that no one knows the source of the fire,” he said.
The committee also raised the possibility that the oxygen system may have contributed to the rapid spread of the flames. Malani said it had earlier been suggested that oxygen had intensified the fire and that a fault in the oxygen pipes could not be ruled out.
“Nevertheless, there was a fault somewhere,” he said, identifying the oxygen pipes and electrical wiring as possible sources.
Malani said Pims Executive Director had also agreed that the spark had not originated from the air conditioner.
The committee expressed particular concern over the location and condition of the nursery, which was established in a building constructed in 1990.
Malani said the old building was not suitable for housing newborn babies, particularly when a newly constructed and better-equipped block was available on the hospital premises.
“The nursery was not fit for the babies. This was supposed to be a gynae ward, and the babies should have been kept in the new block which was well-equipped,” he said.
The committee has sought detailed information from the Pims administration regarding fire safety arrangements, maintenance, staffing and the condition of the nursery.
Malani said a formal committee meeting would be convened to examine the matter on merit. The lawmakers would also review the findings of a separate inquiry committee constituted by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, which is expected to submit its report within 24 to 48 hours.
Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party MNA Gul Asghar Khan said the committee had asked Pims officials how frequently fire drills were conducted and when the hospital last carried out such a drill.
The lawmakers also sought details of the hospital’s latest fire safety audit and information regarding any human errors that could have contributed to the tragedy.
PPP MNA Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro said the committee had also requested information about the functionality of fire alarms at the hospital.
She pointed to what she described as conflicting statements from hospital staff, suggesting that either no one was on duty at the time or personnel who were supposed to be present were elsewhere.
Soomro demanded that the Pims executive director and the federal health minister resign on moral grounds.
Malani said technical experts should be consulted before any definitive conclusion was reached about the cause of the fire.
He said accounts provided by hospital personnel were contradictory, with the head of the gynaecology department referring to a bundle of wires in the ward while another account suggested that an oxygen cylinder might have exploded.
“How could an oxygen cylinder have exploded when there weren’t any?” Malani asked, reiterating that the actual source of the fire remained undetermined.
He said the committee would also investigate whether the right person had been appointed to the relevant position and whether administrative or technical shortcomings had contributed to the incident.
Committee member Farakh Khan questioned whether the nursery had received proper maintenance over the years.
“If any maintenance had been carried out, why was an old air conditioner still installed in the room and why was the wiring left exposed?” she asked.
The committee has also sought details of the budget allocated to Pims’ Mother and Child Health Care Centre and how much of the allocated funds had actually been utilised.
Malani said information had specifically been requested regarding inspections and maintenance of the hospital’s oxygen and electrical systems.
Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl MNA Aliya Kamran also expressed dissatisfaction with the accounts provided by hospital staff.
“When the committee members spoke to the nurses, it appeared as if they had been told what to say,” she alleged, adding that the infants appeared to have been left unattended when the fire broke out.
“We are also not satisfied with the account the doctor on duty gave us,” she said.
Kamran alleged that there was a deliberate attempt to establish that the blaze originated from the air conditioner and called for a thorough and impartial investigation.
She also demanded the health minister’s resignation, arguing that his continued presence in office could affect the transparency of the inquiry. She called for the suspension of staff who were on duty and action against their medical licences if they were found responsible.
The fire erupted on Wednesday morning in a nursery at Pims’ Mother and Child Hospital, killing 14 babies and triggering widespread outrage.
The hospital said the incident initially began with a spark inside the nursery at 6:38am, followed within seconds by a massive fire that spread rapidly because of oxygen points installed at each incubator.
According to the hospital, two doctors and two nurses present in the nursery responded immediately and alerted security personnel. They reportedly made two attempts to enter the nursery and rescue the infants before a major blast occurred at around 6:39am, causing ceilings to collapse.
However, several witnesses told AFP that emergency assistance was delayed and that they had been forced to break windows to reach the ward. Some also alleged that doors were locked at the time of the fire. The hospital and government subsequently denied these allegations.
The tragedy has intensified scrutiny of safety arrangements at the country’s premier public-sector medical facility and triggered demands for accountability from political parties and civil society.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formed an inquiry committee to investigate the incident and removed Federal Health Secretary Muhammad Aslam Ghauri from his position.
Separately, the Islamabad district magistrate has notified a seven-member fact-finding committee headed by the Additional Deputy Commissioner General to determine the facts surrounding the fire.
Health Minister Mustafa Kamal, speaking to reporters on Wednesday, said he was prepared to face accountability and insisted that the incident was being investigated by experts and relevant institutions.
“Nothing will remain hidden and all facts will be unearthed,” he said.
The National Assembly committee is now expected to examine the hospital’s safety infrastructure, maintenance record, fire preparedness, staffing and oxygen and electrical systems alongside the findings of the government’s inquiry before determining whether the deaths resulted from a technical failure, negligence or a combination of factors.
