PIMS Tragedy Exposes Fire Safety Gaps in Rawalpindi Government Hospitals

The PIMS tragedy has raised serious concerns about fire safety arrangements in government hospitals, with rescue authorities revealing that major public hospitals in Rawalpindi also face significant fire risks. Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Holy Family Hospital and DHQ Hospital have been declared unsafe, while rescue officials said complete fire safety systems have not been installed at the three major government hospitals. The fire safety system at PKLI Urology Hospital was also found to be non-functional, with other public hospitals in the city facing similar risks.

Rescue authorities said emergency exits in the hospitals are either largely unavailable or blocked and locked, while the number of fire extinguishers is inadequate. They also reported the absence of proper fire detection systems and fire hydrants in government hospitals. The findings have intensified concerns over the ability of hospitals to safely evacuate patients, particularly critically ill patients and newborns, during a fire or other emergency.

Meanwhile, details of PIMS’s financial allocations have also emerged. The federal government allocated around Rs22 billion to the hospital over the past three years, including Rs6.84 billion last year, while the hospital administration spent Rs7.51 billion, exceeding its allocated budget by around Rs660 million. PIMS has been allocated Rs7.63 billion for the current year, including Rs230 million for repair and maintenance, compared with Rs500 million allocated for the same purpose previously.