KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Karachi General Secretary, Arslan Khalid, has voiced strong criticism of the federal government's management of the healthcare system following the deaths of 14 newborns in a fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Hospital in Islamabad. He described the incident as a reflection of state negligence and called for accountability.

According to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Arslan Khalid expressed profound sorrow over the loss of the infants and offered condolences to the grieving families. He labeled the incident a result of "criminal negligence" by the federal administration and equated the deaths to "state-sanctioned murder." Khalid criticized the government for failing to ensure the safety of newborns in incubators and called for those in power to resign.

Khalid further condemned the state of the healthcare system, accusing the current leadership of rendering it dysfunctional. He questioned the ability of the government to manage the country if it cannot maintain essential equipment in its premier hospital. He also criticized the Federal Minister for Health for attempting to impose a failed healthcare model nationwide.

In a broader political context, Khalid linked the incident to a perceived healthcare crisis affecting PTI Chairman Imran Khan, arguing that both newborns and Khan's health are at risk due to government inadequacies. He accused the government of prioritizing political revenge over addressing the root causes of the PIMS tragedy and vowed that PTI Karachi would pursue accountability for those responsible.