Mustafa Kamal and Tariq Fazal visit PIMS, offer condolences to bereaved families

Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said on Saturday that the facts and findings of an inquiry committee formed on the prime minister’s orders would help clarify the circumstances surrounding the fire at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) that claimed the lives of 14 infants. 

He made the remarks while speaking to the media after visiting the children’s ward at PIMS with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry. During the visit, the ministers met the families who lost their children in the tragedy. Mustafa Kamal and Tariq Fazal Chaudhry conveyed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s condolences and sympathies to the bereaved families, while also expressing their own heartfelt condolences and deep sorrow over the loss. 

This is an extremely tragic and heartbreaking incident that cannot be adequately expressed in words, Mustafa Kamal said. 

Health Minister said, “We have come to share the pain and grief of the affected mothers and stand by them in this difficult time”. He admitted that the pain of a mother losing her child was a tragedy beyond words and there was no substitute for precious human lives, as their lives cannot be brought back.

He said the government and the entire nation stood with the affected families and shared their grief during the difficult time. 

During their visit to PIMS, the ministers reviewed the facilities and arrangements at the children’s ward and received a briefing from the hospital administration on the healthcare services being provided to patients. 

Mustafa Kamal said the government was awaiting the report of the inquiry committee constituted by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to determine responsibility for the deadly fire. The ministers also reviewed the overall situation at the hospital and discussed measures to improve patient care and hospital management.

Later, they visited an affected family at their home in Rawalpindi, where Kamal presented cheques worth Rs5 million to the two families on behalf of the government. “This financial assistance can in no way compensate for their loss,” he said, adding that it was only a gesture by the government to stand by the families and share in their responsibility. Kamal said a complete and impartial investigation into the incident was under way. “Strict action will be taken against those found responsible for this tragic incident,” he clarified.