ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has demanded the resignation of Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal over the PIMS tragedy in which children lost their lives in a hospital fire. Speaking to the media at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), PPP Senator Sherry Rehman alleged that the hospital’s fire tanks had no water, doctors were unavailable and some gates were closed when the incident occurred. “We have not come here to do politics, but it is our responsibility to ask questions about the incident,” Rehman said, calling on the federal health minister to accept responsibility and resign voluntarily. PPP leader Nayyar Bukhari also criticised the federal health ministry, saying the removal of a single secretary from office would not be sufficient to address the failures exposed by the tragedy. Bukhari questioned how the Ministry of Health could manage hospitals across the country if it could not properly oversee two major hospitals. He demanded accountability from the ministry and said it should have closely monitored PIMS management and its administrative arrangements. Sindh government spokesperson Saadia Javed described the deaths of the children as more than an ordinary accident, calling the incident a serious failure of the federal healthcare system and evidence of administrative negligence. She said the federal health minister should take responsibility for the alleged failures and answer questions surrounding the hospital’s preparedness and management. The PPP’s demands come as authorities investigate the PIMS fire and examine whether shortcomings in safety, emergency response and hospital administration contributed to the deaths. Post navigation PIMS Hospital Fire: Health minister vows action over deaths of 14 children PIMS Hospital Fire: Nawaz Sharif calls for strict action over newborn deaths
