The prime minister has approved the conferment of the Sitara-e-Khidmat and the cash reward for her last week
President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday approved the conferment of the Tamgha-e-Shujaat upon Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) staff nurse Razia Noreen, who demonstrated exceptional courage by risking her life to rescue the sole surviving child during a fire incident at the hospital.
On August 26, 14 newborns were killed after a fire broke out on the third floor of the Mother and Child Hospital at PIMS in Islamabad, triggering widespread outrage and demands from people and political parties for action against those responsible. The prime minister had approved the conferment of the Sitara-e-Khidmat and the cash reward for her last week.
President Zardari also approved other summaries on different legislative and institutional matters, including the National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (Lok Virsa) Amendment Bill, 2026; the Standard Time (Interpretation of References) Amendment Bill, 2026; and another bill related to the environmentally sound management of hazardous materials in ships, besides approving the Revision of the Table of Organisation and Equipment (TOE) for the Armed Forces Institute of Urology (AFIU), Rawalpindi.
Read: Judicial commission may be formed if PIMS probe fails to satisfy: Mustafa Kamal
On September 3, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met the nurse Noreen who saved a newborn’s life during the recent fire at the PIMS and awarded her a cheque of Rs10 million in recognition of her extraordinary bravery and sense of duty.
In a meeting held at the PM Office in Islamabad, the premier said, “Nurse Razia Noreen, by placing her own life in danger, saved the newborn with courage … for this noble act, may Allah Almighty bestow abundant reward,” adding that the entire nation took pride in her and acknowledged her bravery.
The monetary reward carried its own meaning; the real recognition was that she truly deserved this honour, he added. He further announced that the Sitara-e-Khidmat would be conferred on her on March 23, 2027, in recognition of her extraordinary services.
Inquiry findings
The incident sparked nationwide outrage after 14 newborns were killed, with only one newborn girl among those inside the ward rescued alive.
The tragedy prompted immediate action from the federal government, with PM Shehbaz forming a five-member inquiry committee. The committee’s interim report highlighted several deficiencies at the hospital and recommended action against eight individuals.
Those identified by the committee and suspended on the prime minister’s orders include PIMS Executive Director Prof Dr Imran Sikandar, Joint Executive Directors Dr Mutahir Shah and Dr Owais Ali Shah, head of the neonatal department Prof Dr Sadia Riaz, senior registrars Dr Naghma and Dr Nousheela Amjad, PIMS Assistant Director Security Mohammad Usman and Capital Development Authority Emergency Services Director General Dr Abdul Rehman.
The interim report said the precise source of ignition had not yet been “conclusively established”, adding that various accounts had attributed the fire to an air conditioner, an incubator or warmer, or an electrical short circuit or overloaded plug.
“Accordingly, an internal electrical/equipment-related origin remains plausible, but it would be premature to identify any particular appliance or component as the established cause,” the report said.
Read More: The PIMS fire and the failures behind it: What the interim inquiry report says
The report said the Capital Emergency Services (CES) had separately found fire and life-safety arrangements to be inadequate and compromised.
It said emergency exits and escape routes were locked or obstructed, security personnel hindered aspects of the initial response, and crowd management was inadequate. According to the CES account, firefighters had to forcibly open locked fire-exit doors and other access points.
The committee recommended that smoke and heat detection systems, alarms, fire extinguishers, hydrants, emergency lighting, electrical protection systems and all designated fire exits be physically inspected, tested and documented.
It said any mandatory emergency exit found locked, obstructed or incapable of being opened immediately during an emergency should be rectified without delay.
At the same time, legitimate controlled access to sensitive neonatal areas should be maintained through fire-safe arrangements, the report recommended.
The committee also recommended an urgent technical inspection of all incubators, warmers, air-conditioning and IVAC installations, sockets, plugs, distribution boards, circuit breakers, earthing and other safety-critical electrical systems in high-risk clinical areas.
