President approves Tamgha-i-Shujaat for Pims nurse who saved newborn during deadly fire

President Asif Ali Zardari has signed off on conferring the Tamgha-i-Shujaat on Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences nurse Razia Noreen. The honor is in recognition of her life-saving actions during a fire at the facility that claimed the lives of 14 newborns. The award announcement was made by the Presidency, which also revealed the approval of several bills, including the National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (Lok Virsa) Amendment Bill, 2026, the Standard Time (Interpretation of References) Amendment Bill, 2026, and a bill concerning the management of hazardous materials in ships.

The tragic fire at Pims’ Mother and Child Hospital on August 26 resulted in the death of 14 infants, prompting intense scrutiny over fire safety measures and calls for accountability. Following the incident, criminal charges were filed against eight officials. CCTV footage captured Noreen entering the nursery as flames intensified and emerging moments later with a baby in her arms. Despite her swift response, the fire had gained a foothold by the time she attempted to re-enter the nursery.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had recently commended Noreen by presenting her with a Rs10 million cheque, acknowledging her extraordinary bravery and unwavering sense of duty. In her comments, Noreen asserted that she was merely fulfilling her responsibility, as the parents had entrusted their children to her care at that critical moment and the weight of that duty rested on her shoulders.

A committee established to investigate the fire reported on Wednesday that the blaze was most likely caused by a localized electrical failure. The report also criticized the hospital management for systemic and organizational shortcomings that transformed the fire into a catastrophic event. Utilizing CCTV footage, the report established "an exceptionally rapid emergency" response, and it firmly rejected any general allegations of frontline personnel abandoning the newborns.