Islamabad hospital fire devastates newborns as investigation begins

A blaze in the maternity ward of Islamabad’s government-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) killed at least 14 newborns, with officials saying an air-conditioning compressor explosion sparked the fire. One infant was rescued, and reports described locked ward doors as the fire spread. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered a full investigation and promised accountability for those responsible, highlighting broader concerns about underfunded public healthcare and aging infrastructure in the country.