ISLAMABAD: Fourteen newborn babies died in a hospital fire, and the tragedy echoed through the Islamabad High Court on Thursday as a senior Punjab official said his “head hangs in shame” while the court questioned how patients could trust a public hospital if basic safety measures fail.
The remarks came during a hearing on petitions by three Adiala Jail inmates seeking treatment at private hospitals, turning a routine medical-care case into a broader reckoning over hospital safety, government responsibility and the quality of care available to patients.
Justice Muhammad Asif heard petitions filed by Owais Altaf, Ilyas Khan and Muhammad Ismail, who are seeking permission to receive treatment at private hospitals and greater access to their families.
The petitioners sought relief similar to that recently granted to former Prime Minister Imran Khan following a Supreme Court order concerning his medical examination and treatment at a private hospital.
Counsel for one of the prisoners told the court that his client had been in jail for six months and was suffering from a condition similar to thalassemia. He requested that the inmate be transferred to a private hospital and warned that jail authorities could be held responsible if adequate treatment was not provided.
The lawyer also referred to the Supreme Court’s Aug. 18 order and said the prisoner was willing to bear the cost of treatment at a private hospital.
Read More: 14 infants killed in Islamabad hospital fire, latest in deadly pattern spanning 16 years
Counsel for Muhammad Ismail, who appeared through video link, said his client was suffering from a heart condition. He alleged that the jail superintendent rejected a request for treatment without consulting a doctor.
During the hearing, Justice Asif questioned Punjab Advocate General Barrister Zafarullah Khan about the prisoners’ requests and raised concerns over the recent PIMS fire.
“Fourteen children have died in one day,” the judge said, questioning how patients could be expected to seek treatment at a major hospital if adequate safety measures were not in place.
“Preventing such incidents is the responsibility of the government,” Justice Asif said.
Barrister Zafarullah said there was no justification for defending the incident and described it as a deeply tragic and shocking event.
“There is no defence for this. It is a very tragic and shocking incident. I am deeply saddened by it,” he said.
He noted that some of the country’s senior officials had received treatment at PIMS and said the hospital had some of the country’s best doctors.
However, he acknowledged the seriousness of the fire and the lack of an immediate explanation for what happened.
“There is no explanation for yesterday’s incident. My head hangs in shame over it,” Barrister Zafarullah said.
The court also expressed concern that the tragedy occurred in Islamabad, the federal capital, and emphasized the government’s responsibility to ensure that public hospitals provide safe and adequate medical care.
Advocate General Islamabad Naveed Hayat Malik, jail officials and Additional Attorney General Rashid Hafeez also appeared before the court.
