PIMS fire sparks fury in Punjab PA

Opp seeks accountability over death of 14 newborns

LAHORE:

The Punjab Assembly on Thursday witnessed heated proceedings as opposition lawmakers strongly condemned the deaths of 14 children in a fire at Islamabad's PIMS Hospital, questioning the absence of accountability and demanding action against those responsible.

Opposition MPA Waqas Maan said 14 children had been burnt to death at PIMS, reportedly after an air-conditioning system malfunctioned.

He recalled that 11 children had also died in a fire in Sahiwal a few years ago, allegedly due to the absence of air-conditioning facilities.

Expressing grave concern over the PIMS tragedy, Maan said the incident had "bowed our heads in shame" and questioned how the key to the gynecology ward could not be traced during the emergency.

He said such tragedies would continue unless responsibility was fixed and those responsible were punished.

He maintained that whenever accountability was avoided and those responsible were provided a "safe passage", similar incidents would continue to occur.

On a point, the assembly also took up the long-pending Lahore Gymkhana matter, with lawmakers expressing concern over the delay in resolving the issue.

PMLN's MPA Amjad Ali Javed said the Gymkhana issue had become a source of embarrassment for the assembly, as they are repeatedly asked about its progress.

Chairman of the Privileges Committee Samiullah Khan acknowledged the delay and said the committee would examine the matter in detail after the assembly session.

Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan said the Punjab Assembly was a forum where the issue had already been discussed.

He recalled that land for the Lahore Gymkhana had been leased at a rate of Rs5 per kanal, after which the matter was referred to the relevant committee.

Earlier, PTI MPA Ali Imtiaz Warraich raised strong objections to an alleged police raid during an Eid Milad-un-Nabi gathering in Lahore's PP-121 constituency.

He alleged that police raided a Milad programme outside the residence of PTI leader Zubair Niazi and harassed his mother for around five hours.

He further alleged that a female party leader was detained by male police personnel.

Warraich said a party worker's health deteriorated during the raid and was currently on a ventilator. He questioned whether police had the authority to raid a religious gathering and said the government should clarify the matter.

Opposition MPA Sheikh Imtiaz also condemned the alleged police action, claiming that 24 women were confined after police locked them inside their homes during the incident.

He alleged that a PTI worker had been thrown into oil and was fighting for his life, questioning who had given police such authority.

Provincial Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Mian Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, however, accused Sheikh Imtiaz of engaging in unnecessary point-scoring.

During the proceedings, Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan said the privilege of members was protected under Constitution and that proceedings at certain forums could not be interfered with.

He said proceedings of the Privileges Committee were broadcast live and stressed that if matters were discussed within constitutional parameters, no one's privilege would be violated.