Islamabad: Vice President of the Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Sherry Rehman has called for an independent investigation into the deaths of 14 children in a fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital, emphasizing the need for accountability and public safety measures. The Senate unanimously passed a resolution, moved by Senator Rehman, to form a special committee to investigate the incident.

According to Pakistan Peoples Party, Senator Rehman raised the issue in the Senate, submitting a Calling Attention Notice to draw the Federal Minister for Health's attention to the tragedy and the reported failure of basic fire-safety arrangements at PIMS. She questioned the governance and accountability of the hospital, citing her experience as a former Health Minister. Senator Rehman challenged the PIMS Executive Director's account of the emergency exit's closure during the fire and highlighted contradictions between PIMS and Capital Development Authority (CDA) reports concerning the hospital's fire-safety arrangements.

Senator Rehman pointed out the substantial federal funding allocated to PIMS, questioning why basic safety standards were not ensured despite these resources. She called for the formation of a Senate committee to investigate the tragedy, citing the importance of accountability and public service. The proposed committee aims to examine institutional failures and recommend measures to prevent similar incidents.