"Why is no one ever punished?"
Pakistan woke up to devastating news on August 26, 2026, as a fire tore through parts of the gynaecology ward at the PIMS hospital, Islamabad.
The tragedy has left the nation in deep shock and grief, with distressing visuals of the aftermath flooding television screens across the country.
Images of rescue personnel entering the burning building through broken windows circulated widely.
Most heartbreaking were the visuals of parents crying for children they had not even had the chance to name before losing them.
A PIMS spokesperson confirmed that the ward had 15 children in it at the time, only one of whom was rescued by a doctor.
The scale of the tragedy prompted immediate political action, with the federal health secretary removed from his post in the aftermath.
Health Minister Mustafa Kamal has vowed to bring those responsible to justice through a transparent and thorough investigation into the incident.
Pakistani celebrities joined the nation in mourning, with many taking to social media to express their grief and anger.
Zhalay Sarhadi shared a post about a father who had been blessed with a son, only to lose the child in the devastating inferno.
She said she had no words to offer except her prayers for parents who were faced with a completely unimaginable and devastating loss.
Areeba Habib shared a poetic tribute to the mothers who had spent their pregnancies protecting their unborn children, only to lose them to a preventable fire.
She wrote pointedly: “Some fires begin with a spark. Others begin when someone fails to care.”
Mehwish Hayat said she was “struggling to process” the many tragedies hitting Pakistan and described the PIMS fire:
“Yet another heartbreaking reminder of how deeply disturbing things had become.”
She noted that the very hospital where the children died was supposed to be the safest place they could be.
Hayat asked how many more women and children had to die before people would receive accountability.
Romaisa Khan struck an even sharper tone, saying the country was “bleeding” and citing recent cases of murder and rape.
She wrote: “Women aren’t safe in their homes. Children aren’t safe.
“People disappear and are found dead.
“Even babies aren’t safe inside hospitals. How did we get here?”
She demanded justice and accountability for every woman, child and family that had been failed by a broken and negligent system.
Music producer Umair shared Khan’s post and mourned the loss of 14 lives “that never even got the chance to begin.”
Ushna Shah called the tragic incident entirely “preventable,” underscoring the systemic failure at its core.
Mohammed Ahmed raised a deeply uncomfortable question about why no one is ever held accountable for such tragedies in Pakistan.
He wrote: “Why is no one ever punished? Why does nobody ask questions?
“Think of the mothers whose babies burned to death.”
Ayesha Omar said Pakistanis were waking up to horrific news on a daily basis and pointed to a “systemic failure” across every department.
Sheheryar Munawar and Bilal Abbas were among those who said they had no words.
The collective outpouring from the entertainment community reflects a nation united in grief.
