the Prime Minister had expressed “deep anger” towards some officials
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has suspended Federal Secretary of Health Muhammad Aslam Ghauri following the deaths of 14 newborn babies in a hospital fire in Islamabad.
The decision was announced by Pakistan’s Information Ministry on August 26, as officials faced growing scrutiny over the tragedy at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).
The Federal Secretary of Health is a senior, non-political government official who reports to the federal health minister and oversees the department’s administration.
The Information Ministry said Prime Minister Sharif was chairing a high-level meeting to review the circumstances surrounding the fire.
It added that the Prime Minister had expressed “deep anger” towards some officials following the deaths.
The fire broke out in an air-conditioning unit inside the hospital’s maternity facility on Wednesday morning.
According to hospital officials, the blaze spread rapidly after coming into contact with oxygen connections in the neonatal area.
There were 15 babies inside the affected ward when the fire started. Only one newborn was rescued, while 14 babies died.
Seven other babies, two men and 10 mothers were also rescued during the emergency response, according to officials.
The deaths have prompted questions over safety arrangements and emergency procedures at one of Islamabad’s major public hospitals.
The government has not yet announced the findings of any formal investigation into the cause of the fire or whether safety failures contributed to the deaths.
The suspension of the federal health secretary comes as authorities face pressure to establish how the fire was able to spread through the maternity facility and why so many newborns were unable to be evacuated.
Prime Minister Sharif is expected to receive further details as officials investigate the incident and assess the hospital’s emergency response.
The tragedy has caused widespread grief in Pakistan, particularly among families who lost newborn children in the fire.
The allegations surrounding the locked NICU door and the reported difficulties faced by rescuers are likely to add further pressure on hospital authorities as the investigation continues.
The government’s response could also lead to further action against officials if investigators identify negligence or breaches of safety requirements.
For now, the removal of Aslam Ghauri represents one of the first major government actions following the deaths of the 14 newborn babies.
For the families who lost their children, the immediate priority remains receiving answers about what happened inside the hospital’s maternity facility.
