Aimal Wali Khan Demands Audit of Fire Safety Equipment in All Hospitals

PESHAWAR: Awami National Party (ANP) Central President Senator Aimal Wali Khan has called for an immediate and comprehensive audit of fire safety equipment and emergency arrangements in hospitals across the country following the tragic deaths of newborns in a fire at the nursery ward of PIMS Hospital.

Expressing deep grief over the incident, Aimal Wali Khan demanded a transparent and impartial investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the fire and identify those responsible for any negligence. He described the deaths of innocent newborns in a hospital nursery as an extremely serious and unforgivable failure.

The ANP leader questioned the standard of safety arrangements at hospitals, particularly in sensitive units such as neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). He asked why adequate staff was allegedly not available in the nursery when the fire broke out and raised concerns over the availability and effectiveness of firefighting equipment and emergency exits.

Aimal Wali Khan also questioned who was responsible for monitoring safety standards in such critical areas. He said authorities must explain why immediate access to the newborns was reportedly difficult after the fire erupted and whether emergency procedures were properly implemented.

“If this is the condition of hospitals in the country’s capital, then God help the rest of the country,” he said, stressing that the government and hospital administration must respond to the questions raised by the bereaved parents.

The ANP chief warned against treating the incident as a routine accident and closing the matter without a thorough investigation. He emphasized that all individuals found responsible for negligence must be identified and held accountable according to the law.

He further said that merely suspending a few employees would not be sufficient. A complete, transparent and impartial inquiry is required to establish the facts and determine whether inadequate safety arrangements or administrative negligence contributed to the tragedy.

Aimal Wali Khan also demanded that the parents of the deceased children be provided with complete and accurate information about the incident and the findings of the investigation.

He called for immediate inspections of fire safety systems, emergency exits, evacuation procedures and staff preparedness in hospitals nationwide to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

Expressing solidarity with the victims’ families, the ANP president offered his condolences and prayed that Allah grants the bereaved parents and families the strength to endure their irreparable loss.