IHC Demands Action and Inquiry Report on Pims Fire Tragedy

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) is pressing for accountability following the devastating fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) that claimed the lives of 14 children. Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfaraz Dogar has ordered the submission of a detailed report presented to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif regarding the incident, along with information on any actions taken against those responsible.

During a hearing involving two petitions related to the tragedy, the Chief Justice described the fire as a "terrible incident" and questioned the legitimacy of internal inquiries conducted by bureaucrats investigating their own colleagues. "How can bureaucrats inquire into their own department?" asked the petitioner's counsel, Qasim Iqbal Jalali, who is demanding a judicial inquiry into the fire.

Justice Dogar scrutinized the legal grounds for such an inquiry, emphasizing the court's limitations in directing investigations that fall under governmental jurisdiction. He indicated that while the court can examine matters, inquiries into departmental failings should be handled by the appropriate authorities.

Additional Attorney General Rashid Hafeez informed the court that the health secretary had been suspended on the day of the fire, and additional suspensions had occurred based on preliminary findings. Despite this, the Chief Justice expressed concern over whether adequate measures were still being pursued and if any restrictions existed on the court's ability to issue orders.

In a related petition, the call for the removal of Pims' Executive Director, Prof Dr Imran Sikandar, was reiterated. The court noted that he had already been suspended along with several others, but the absence of accountability in the inquiry report raised questions about future responsibility. The petition highlighted that despite a substantial annual budget of Rs20 to Rs22 billion for Pims, conditions at the hospital remain dire, with multiple children sharing beds.

In addition to the inquiries about Pims, the IHC is also examining broader fire safety compliance in Islamabad. A separate petition filed by citizen Malik Naveed Ashiq Awan criticized the lack of fire safety no-objection certificates (NOCs) for major buildings, including Pims. The petitioner called for immediate audits and inspections of buildings across the capital to ensure compliance with fire safety regulations.

The court has issued notices to various officials, including the home secretary and the Capital Development Authority (CDA), to respond to these allegations. Following the Pims fire, the CDA has stepped up enforcement of fire safety laws, sealing non-compliant buildings and imposing fines on several healthcare facilities for their failures in maintaining safety protocols.

Source: www.dawn.com