Minister for National Health Services Regulation and Coordination Mustafa Kamal vowed Friday that “no one will be spared” in connection with the fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) that killed 14 infants, saying the country’s health sector urgently needs reform.
Speaking in the Senate, Kamal said he was speaking on behalf of the prime minister and the entire government in assuring that not a single responsible party would be spared accountability. He said the tragedy could not be treated as a passing episode, calling instead for genuine accountability and steps to prevent similar incidents in future.
The minister warned against attempts to suppress the issue, inviting the House to work collectively toward a solution, and agreed to a proposal for forming a parliamentary committee, including opposition members, to investigate Wednesday’s incident. “Look at your resources, management and actions and then involve everyone to suggest a way forward,” he said, assuring the government would support such an approach. “This is a matter of children’s lives, and we are answerable to God for it. The ministry is nothing; we cannot ruin our afterlife for these ministries,” he said.
Opening his address, Kamal expressed sorrow over the lives lost. “There can be no explanation for this. I am holding myself responsible, and I have presented myself to be held accountable,” he said, calling for a holistic investigation and urging that any committee formed not be time-bound, but remain open-ended. “When you go investigate this incident, you will find so many things associated with it,” he said, pointing to what he described as a deeper rot within the sector.
Kamal acknowledged the health sector was far from ideal, citing broader systemic failures. “Four hundred thousand children between the ages of one and five die every year, 1,300 die every day; they are all dying preventable deaths,” he said, adding: “It is not possible to bring back the infants who died at Pims, but let us look at it as a test from God and prevent the next kid from dying.”
He said there was no point in making speeches if the government failed to draw real lessons from the tragedy. “Start from me,” he said, offering himself up for accountability. “Sit with us and save the next from dying. I am putting the entire ministry at your disposal; every person will be answerable to you,” he said, describing the system as “rotten” while acknowledging the practical difficulty of removing incompetent officials: “Where do I find a better person after removing an incompetent one?”
Kamal noted that by the end of the day, roughly 1,300 children would have died across the country from preventable causes. On the inquiry committee’s report into the fire, which he said would be presented that same night, Kamal told the House: “If you don’t trust it, fair enough [..] we will listen to you.” He reiterated his assurance that no one would be spared, regardless of influence, and invited lawmakers to help guide a strategic roadmap forward, pledging that the health ministry would provide all relevant input and information.
