Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal is facing mounting pressure over his response to the PIMS nursery fire that killed 14 newborns, with his remarks in a series of interviews coming under scrutiny.

Kamal appeared on a private media outlet on Wednesday morning where he was asked about his performance and the hospital’s lack of fire safety measures.

During the interview, Kamal began responding to a question about his performance, saying, “Is this the time for me to report my performance, or should I…” before the anchor interrupted him and asked him to explain what had been done about the hospital’s lack of sprinklers.

Kamal replied, “Let me… call me after an hour or two. I will report my performance to you on what I did in the hospital, okay? Call me after an hour or two.”

The interview then featured a grieving mother who questioned the hospital’s account of the deaths and alleged that the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) was locked and staff members had left the area.

The anchor asked Kamal to respond to the parents’ allegations and said that the families had lost their newborn children.

Kamal responded, “So what do you think? That we don’t realize this, or that we are involved in this tragedy, or that we are burning children? Is that what you think?”

Later, Kamal had a heated exchange with an elderly man during a press briefing outside PIMS. The man called for an FIR [First Information Report] against those responsible for the deaths.

Kamal told him to come closer and speak to him rather than standing at a distance while being filmed.

“You, too, are simply standing there getting a video recorded; come over here and talk to me,” the minister said. The man replied, “I have no wish to get a video recorded.”

Speaking to reporters outside the hospital, Kamal later said an investigation was underway and that experts and different institutions were involved.

“Nothing will remain hidden and all facts will be unearthed,” he said.

Calling the incident “heart-wrenching”, Kamal said anyone found responsible for negligence would face action.

“If there was any negligence, then as I said, we will not spare them, including myself,” he avowed.

He also said Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif had instructed him not to speak about certain matters and that he would meet the premier over the findings.

“Everyone is on board, and the findings will be presented,” Kamal said.

When asked whether he would resign, Kamal said that the decision rested with the prime minister.

“As I have said before, whoever is responsible [..] they will not be spared. I have said what I can, and I wish I could say more, but the prime minister is my boss, and whatever his orders will be, I can only say that.”

In his latest appearance on a private media outlet, Kamal offered himself for accountability and said responsibility should begin with him.

“Accountability should start with me,” he said, adding that no one under his authority should be protected if they were found responsible for negligence or wrongdoing.

Kamal also said the deaths of the 14 newborns were an accident and argued that the prime minister or federal health minister should not be responsible for overseeing individual hospitals.
He said that he had discussed fire safety and staff training with PM Shehbaz Sharif and also pointed to a lack of resources.

The sequence of statements comes after the fire broke out in the nursery of PIMS Hospital’s gynaecology ward early Wednesday morning.

Fifteen babies were in the ward when the fire started and 14 died. According to a preliminary statement issued by PIMS, a spark inside the nursery at 6:38am led to a fire that spread within seconds because oxygen points were installed at each incubator.

The hospital said that two doctors and two nurses on duty responded immediately and called security staff. They attempted to remove the babies twice before a blast occurred at 6:39am and the ceiling collapsed.

PIMS said that one baby from the nursery and four babies in an adjacent room were rescued, along with three mothers. Staff also rescued 73 other patients from the adjacent gynaecology ward.

However, witnesses told an international media outlet that they waited for emergency services and some were forced to break windows to reach the NICU. Some witnesses also alleged that doors were locked and guards prevented people inside from leaving.

The hospital rejected those allegations, saying, “All emergency exits were fully open and operational”.

The government has removed the health secretary and formed an inquiry committee PM Shehbaz’s orders, while a separate fact-finding committee has also been constituted.

Kamal had earlier vowed that those responsible for negligence would not be spared, including himself, as investigations into the fire continue.