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ISLAMABAD: Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Allama Raja Nasir Abbas has described the PIMS Hospital incident as an extremely painful and unbearable tragedy, expressing deep concern over the loss of lives and the suffering of affected families. Speaking to the media after arriving at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Raja Nasir Abbas criticized the government’s response to the incident and questioned whether removing a health secretary could be considered an adequate action in response to such a serious tragedy. He said that simply removing a senior health official would not address the underlying issues that led to the incident. According to him, the government must look beyond administrative changes and take practical measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. “Do you think that by removing one health secretary, you have done your job?” he questioned while speaking to the media. The Senate opposition leader also expressed sympathy for the families who lost their children in the incident. He asked people to imagine the pain and suffering of parents whose children were burned to death. “What must the parents whose children were burned to death have gone through?” he asked, while condemning what he described as the actions and handling of the situation by the authorities. Raja Nasir Abbas said that such incidents raise serious questions about the quality of public services and the government’s responsibility toward citizens. He stressed that people rely on state institutions for essential services, particularly healthcare and education, and expect these institutions to provide safe and reliable facilities. The opposition leader also drew a comparison between the public education and healthcare systems and the growing reliance on private institutions. He said that when government schools fail to meet people’s expectations, families are often forced to turn toward private educational institutions. Similarly, when people do not receive satisfactory treatment or adequate medical facilities at government hospitals, they are compelled to seek treatment from private hospitals. He argued that this trend places an additional financial burden on ordinary citizens, particularly families who cannot afford expensive private healthcare or education. Raja Nasir Abbas emphasized that government institutions should be strengthened so that citizens can receive essential services without having to depend on private alternatives. He suggested that authorities need to identify weaknesses within public-sector institutions and take effective steps to improve their performance. His comments came during his visit to PIMS, where he spoke about the incident and the concerns surrounding the hospital’s safety and management. The tragedy has prompted questions about safety arrangements, institutional accountability and the government’s responsibility for protecting patients and their families. The opposition leader’s remarks also highlighted the broader issue of public confidence in government institutions. When public hospitals fail to provide adequate care or safe facilities, people who cannot afford private treatment are particularly vulnerable. He called for greater accountability and better management of public-sector institutions, arguing that administrative decisions alone cannot resolve systemic problems. The incident has intensified debate over hospital safety and emergency preparedness, with calls for authorities to investigate what happened and determine whether negligence or shortcomings contributed to the tragedy. Raja Nasir Abbas maintained that the government must take meaningful measures rather than limiting its response to the removal of individual officials. He stressed that improving public hospitals and ensuring the safety of patients should remain a priority. He further expressed solidarity with the bereaved families and condemned the circumstances surrounding the deaths, saying that the suffering of parents who lost their children could not be ignored.