Shafaqna Pakistan: Health Minister Mustafa Kamal on Friday pledged that no one responsible for the deadly fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), which claimed the lives of 14 infants, would be spared, while calling for comprehensive reforms in the country’s healthcare sector.
Addressing the Senate, Kamal said the government would not shield anyone found responsible for the tragedy and assured lawmakers that all those involved would be held accountable.
“No one intends to spare or protect anyone,” he said, adding that he was speaking on behalf of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the entire government in assuring that no individual responsible for the incident would escape accountability.
The minister said the tragedy must not become an issue that remains in the headlines for only a few days. He called for accountability and stressed the need to take measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Kamal also warned against suppressing the issue and invited the House to work together to find a way forward.
He urged lawmakers to examine available resources, management and actions and involve all relevant stakeholders in suggesting solutions, assuring that the government would support such an approach.
“This is a matter of children’s lives, and we are answerable to God for it. The ministry is nothing; we cannot ruin our afterlife for these ministries,” he remarked.
Rs5m Compensation Announced for Affected Families
Earlier in the day, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry announced Rs5 million compensation for each family affected by the PIMS fire.
Speaking to the media during his visit to PIMS, Chaudhry recalled Wednesday’s incident and said 14 infants had fallen victim to “someone’s criminal negligence”.
He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had constituted an inquiry committee, which was expected to submit its report today. He assured that all on-duty individuals found guilty of negligence would face exemplary punishment.
The minister said the grief suffered by the affected families could not be compensated, adding that neither could their children be brought back nor their pain reduced.
However, he said the prime minister had announced Rs5 million for each affected family as a measure to provide some financial relief.
Chaudhry said he visited PIMS to hand over a cheque to one of the affected families on behalf of the prime minister. He added that the compensation amount would be deposited into the accounts of the mothers of the deceased infants.
“This is a small effort to share their sorrow,” he remarked.
Responding to questions regarding demands for DNA tests of the bodies, Chaudhry said most of the deceased infants had died from suffocation caused by smoke rather than burns.
He said the children could therefore be identified, explaining that infants were given tags bearing their mothers’ names on their arms after birth, making identification possible.
Source: Dunya News
