The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has made important progress on a petition seeking a judicial inquiry into the PIMS tragedy, asking the federal government to provide the investigation report submitted to the prime minister and details of action taken so far.
The court also sought the federation’s response to the petition and questioned the legal basis under which a judicial inquiry could be ordered.
Chief Justice Sarfaraz Dogar heard the petition filed by lawyer Qasim Iqbal Jalali. Additional Attorney General Rashid Hafeez and Assistant Attorney General Azmat Bashir Tarar appeared before the court.
During the hearing, the petitioner argued that bureaucrats were included in both committees formed by the government to investigate the tragedy. The lawyer questioned how officials could investigate their own department and asked the court to consider a judicial inquiry instead.
Chief Justice Dogar described the PIMS tragedy as a “terrible incident”, noting that 14 children lost their lives.
The chief justice questioned under which law the court could order a judicial inquiry. He asked where the Inquiry Act authorised the court to issue such a direction. He also questioned the lawyer whether the matter should have been sent to the army.
He remarked that when the court has a matter before it, he could ask a judge to examine it, but the legal authority for directly ordering a judicial inquiry needed to be established.
Court seeks govt investigation report
The Islamabad High Court directed the government to provide details of the action taken so far and sought the investigation report submitted to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The court also asked whether any action had already been taken in response to the tragedy and whether there was any legal restriction preventing the judiciary from issuing an order if authorities had failed to act.
The hearing focused on what steps had been taken following the deaths and whether the existing government committees could adequately determine responsibility.
Petition seeks removal of PIMS ED
The court also sought a report concerning a petition calling for the removal of the Executive Director (ED) of PIMS from office.
During the proceedings, the petitioner’s lawyer referred to the large budget allocated to PIMS and claimed that conditions at the hospital were so poor that four children were being accommodated on each bed.
The lawyer questioned where the hospital’s substantial budget was being spent and argued that no responsibility had been fixed on the PIMS chief over the tragedy.
Chief Justice Dogar questioned how the court could legally direct the removal of the PIMS ED from office. He also remarked that, in his view, the PIMS ED had already been removed from office.
Additional Attorney General Rashid Hafeez informed the court that PIMS officials had been suspended on the basis of an interim report.
He said the full investigation report would be submitted within five days.
Petition over fire safety laws
The Islamabad High Court also sought a response to a separate petition concerning the non-implementation of fire safety laws in Islamabad. Notices were issued to the home secretary, CDA chairman, chief commissioner and Municipal Corporation Islamabad.
The petition raises concerns over compliance with fire safety requirements in the capital and comes amid scrutiny of safety arrangements following the PIMS tragedy.
Parliamentary committee to investigate PIMS tragedy
Separately, a parliamentary investigation into the PIMS tragedy is also being formed. According to parliamentary sources, the government has asked all political parties to provide the names of their representatives for the committee.
The National Assembly had passed a resolution on Friday for the formation of a Joint Parliamentary Committee to examine the tragedy. All political parties will be represented on the committee, according to the sources.
They added that a formal notification establishing the parliamentary committee will be issued as soon as the parties submit the names of their nominees.
