Pakistan suspends eight officials over hospital fire that killed 14 babies

Interim inquiry finds lack of fire safety protocols at Islamabad hospital, prompting suspensions and criminal probe.Published On 29 Aug 202629 Aug 2026Pakistan’s prime minister has ordered the suspension of eight officials and directed criminal proceedings against them after a fire killed 14 babies in the neonatal ward of a government-run hospital in the capital.Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued the orders after an investigative committee presented its interim report on the fire at Islamabad’s Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), his office said in a statement on Saturday.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Pakistan’s army chief back in Iran: Can he break peace talks deadlock?list 2 of 3Give Imran Khan proper medical care, cricket legends urge Pakistani gov’tlist 3 of 3‘Where’s the humanity?’: Imran Khan’s sons fear for jailed ex-Pakistan PMend of listThe blaze broke out shortly before 7am (02:00 GMT) on Wednesday in the Mother and Child Healthcare Centre, sparking inside the nursery before spreading rapidly through oxygen outlets fitted at each incubator.The fire was confined to a third-floor nursery, but officials said it spread so quickly that staff were a...