At least 15 infants killed in Islamabad hospital fire

At least 15 infants perished in a devastating fire at a state-run hospital in Islamabad, Pakistan, according to local broadcaster Geo TV. The blaze erupted at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) on Wednesday morning, triggered by a malfunction in the air-conditioning system. The fire ignited on the third floor of the hospital's mother and child health ward around 7am (0200 GMT). Among the 16 newborns present in the ward, one was miraculously rescued, while the remaining 15 succumbed to the inferno.

This tragic incident marks one of the deadliest hospital fires in recent years in the country, where government healthcare is subsidized but plagued by under-resourced and overburdened facilities. Criticism of state-run healthcare institutions has been rampant, with watchdogs frequently pointing out mismanagement.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered an immediate investigation into the incident, with his office stating that those responsible must be identified and the strictest action taken against them. The affected ward was cordoned off, and ambulances were spotted outside the hospital premises, as reported by a Reuters witness.

PIMS, situated in the heart of Islamabad, is one of the city's principal public hospitals. It recently served as the treatment facility for former Prime Minister Imran Khan.