HRCP protests PIMS newborn deaths

The Human Rights Council of Pakistan staged a protest outside the Karachi Press Club on Friday over the reported deaths of 14 newborns at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and what it described as a failure of safety measures across Karachi and the country.

The protesters said protection of human life was the state's foremost responsibility and that negligence in matters involving the lives of children and citizens was unacceptable.

They demanded comprehensive safety audits of high-rise commercial and residential buildings and markets to assess emergency exits, fire alarms and other safety arrangements. They also called for special safety inspections of government hospitals as well as the rapidly expanding network of private hospitals and schools, urging authorities conducting the inspections to be held accountable for their findings.

The council demanded immediate inspections of public and private schools and healthcare facilities located in residential areas and called for mandatory fire-safety measures in all such buildings.