Senior journalist and political analyst Hamid Mir has held the federal government, the Islamabad administration, the Chief Commissioner, and the Health Department directly accountable for the tragic neonatal deaths caused by a fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital.
Highlighting systemic failures, Mir stated that PIMS has transformed into a hub of corruption and negligence. He pointed out that ordinary and middle-class citizens struggle to secure beds without political backing from ministers or secretaries, while patients are often forced to purchase expensive medicines from designated external pharmacies.
Mir fiercely criticized federal ministers who spent the preceding days praising PIMS as one of Pakistan’s most modern healthcare facilities. He revealed that the affected neonatal intensive care unit (ICU) lacked basic emergency exits and safety protocols, making evacuation during the fire nearly impossible. Furthermore, he noted that previous unit heads had repeatedly warned the administration about severe infrastructural deficiencies, but their concerns were ignored in favor of maintaining private and VIP rooms.
Comparing Islamabad’s civic neglect to other metropolitan areas, Mir emphasized that the absence of local government elections and a functioning mayor has worsened public service delivery in the capital. He concluded by asserting that mere condolences from government ministers are insufficient, urging the public and media to hold the authorities fully responsible rather than allowing them to escape accountability.
