Traders’ Community Grieved Over Death of Newborns at PIMS, Demands Accountability

Islamabad: Leaders of the All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran and Traders Action Committee Islamabad have expressed deep grief and sorrow over the tragic death of 14 newborn babies at PIMS Hospital, demanding that those responsible be identified and brought to justice.

In a joint statement, President of the All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran and Traders Action Committee Islamabad Ajmal Baloch, Secretary and Chairman Traders and Market Development Committee ICCI Khalid Chaudhry, G-9 Karachi Company President Raja Zulfiqar, G-11 Markaz President Naeem Awan, F-10 Markaz President Ahmed Khan, F-8 Markaz General Secretary Ismail Khan, I-8 Markaz President Waheed Cheema, I-9 Markaz President Safdar Abbasi, Blue Area East President Imad bin Arif, Bahara Kahu-Simli Road President Raja Zahid Dhanyal, G-8 Markaz President Ajab Khan, Sitara Market President Altaf Shah, F-6 Super Market President Shehzad Abbasi, G-10 Markaz President Kamran Kakakhel, PWD President Chaudhry Riasat Ali and Aabpara Market General Secretary Akhtar Abbasi said the entire traders’ community shared the grief of the bereaved parents and families.

The traders’ leaders prayed that Allah Almighty grant the bereaved parents the strength and patience to bear the irreparable loss.

Khalid Chaudhry said the tragic incident at the federal capital’s largest government hospital had raised serious questions about PIMS’s safety and administrative systems. He said a comprehensive investigation should determine why the arrangements for dealing with an emergency situation failed to prove effective and where and at what level lapses occurred during the rescue operation.

The traders’ leaders demanded a detailed review of the hospital’s fire-safety arrangements, firefighting system, emergency exits and other safety measures to determine the actual causes of the tragedy.

They welcomed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s decision to order a high-level inquiry and demanded that the investigation be conducted in an impartial and transparent manner and completed within the stipulated timeframe. They also called for the inquiry report to be made public without delay.

Raja Zulfiqar and Ahmed Khan said all those responsible for negligence or dereliction of duty should be brought before the law without discrimination. Waheed Cheema and Raja Zahid Dhanyal demanded that the high-level inquiry report should not be delayed and that the facts should be made public.

The traders’ leaders further demanded an immediate and comprehensive safety audit of all public and private hospitals in Islamabad, covering firefighting equipment, fire detection and alarm systems, emergency exits, electrical systems, medical equipment and emergency training of staff.

They called for regular safety drills and the implementation of clear emergency response plans at hospitals to prevent such tragic incidents in the future.

The traders’ leaders said protection of human lives must be the highest priority. They stressed that the PIMS tragedy should not be confined to a formal inquiry and called for permanent measures to address its causes and practical reforms to strengthen safety and administrative systems at hospitals.