Deadly Fire at Popular Bangkok Pub Kills at Least 27 People, Prime Minister Visits Scene

ISLAMABAD: Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal has offered himself for accountability following the deaths of newborns in a fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), as criticism over the tragedy intensified. Speaking to the media outside PIMS on Wednesday, Kamal said he had placed himself before Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for accountability and would accept whatever decision the premier makes. “I have presented myself before Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for accountability. He is my boss and will decide my fate,” the minister said. Kamal also assured that action would be taken against anyone found responsible for negligence or any other mistake linked to the incident. The minister said preliminary CCTV footage had provided investigators with an indication of how the fire started. According to him, the footage showed a spark near an air conditioner at around 6:38am. People were seen leaving the area shortly afterwards. He said the presence of oxygen in the ward caused the flames to intensify rapidly. Kamal maintained that the government would not conceal any information related to the incident and that those responsible would be dealt with according to the findings of the investigation. The minister faced protests and angry reactions from people gathered outside the hospital while speaking to reporters. The situation became tense, forcing him to leave the premises. The tragedy has triggered demands for a transparent investigation and accountability of all officials and staff whose actions or omissions may have contributed to the deaths. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Sherry Rehman also called for the health minister’s resignation, saying serious questions had emerged about emergency arrangements at the hospital. Rehman claimed that the emergency department’s door was locked after the fire and that people had to break windows to gain access. She also questioned the reported absence of doctors at the scene. The PPP senator said her party was not seeking to politicise the tragedy but had a responsibility to ask questions about the circumstances that led to the loss of newborn lives. “The minister responsible should resign,” Rehman said. Another senior PPP leader, Nayer Hussain Bokhari, said the Health Ministry must answer questions surrounding the incident. He argued that holding only a single secretary responsible would not be sufficient if the investigation identifies wider administrative failures. The incident has placed renewed focus on safety measures, emergency preparedness and accountability at major public hospitals. Authorities are expected to determine the exact cause of the fire and establish whether negligence, equipment failure or administrative shortcomings contributed to the deaths.

The Pakistan Peoples Party has accused the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz of electoral irregularities during the Azad Kashmir elections. PPP leaders made the allegations during a press conference in Islamabad on Monday. PPP leader Sharmila Faruqui alleged that the PML-N was attempting to form a government in Azad Kashmir through rigging. She questioned claims that migrant seats had already been secured by the ruling party. Faruqui also criticised the Punjab government over its spending priorities. She questioned the concentration of development funds in Lahore and asked what had been done for other parts of the province. She said the PPP had avoided politicising incidents involving collapsed roofs in Punjab. However, she called for stronger measures to protect women and children. Faruqui also raised concerns about crime and law enforcement in Punjab. She referred to an alleged incident involving a girl with a mental disability in Lahore and criticised the police response. She further alleged that the Crime Control Department had carried out hundreds of encounters. According to her, the department had conducted around 670 encounters. Faruqui questioned whether the government was giving sufficient importance to courts and due process. She also claimed that a large majority of reported child abuse cases had occurred in Punjab. The PPP leader questioned the effectiveness of governance in cities where children and vulnerable citizens do not feel safe. Another PPP leader, Shahla Raza, also accused the PML-N of manipulating the Azad Kashmir election process. Raza claimed that the PML-N had entered the elections expecting to secure around 12 seats. She alleged that irregularities were reported in several constituencies because the party feared an outcome similar to the political situation in Gilgit-Baltistan. Raza said the alleged incidents demonstrated serious concerns about the credibility of the electoral process. She claimed that the Election Commission had received 26 complaints before 1pm on election day. She also alleged that election-related material was taken from police personnel and that gunfire occurred during the incidents. Raza further claimed that a PPP member of the National Assembly was shot. The PPP leaders called for greater transparency in the electoral process. They also urged authorities to investigate complaints submitted during polling. PPP leader Palwasha Khan said her party remains an ally of the PML-N at the federal level. However, she stressed that the PPP would not remain silent if it believed that the government was taking an incorrect step. Khan said the president has constitutional powers regarding official summaries and can act according to the law. She made it clear that the PPP considers itself a political partner rather than a subordinate of the PML-N. She warned that the government could face difficulties in achieving its political objectives if it ignored concerns raised by its allies. The allegations have added to political tensions surrounding the Azad Kashmir elections. The PPP and PML-N are coalition partners at the federal level. However, differences between the two parties have emerged over the election process and political developments in Azad Kashmir. The allegations made by PPP leaders have not, by themselves, established that electoral fraud occurred. The claims are expected to be examined by the relevant electoral and legal authorities.