Pakistan suspends eight officials after deadly infant ward fire

Pakistan’s prime minister said eight officials were suspended and called for criminal proceedings against them, after 14 infants were killed in a fire in the maternity ward of a hospital in the country’s capital.



A preliminary report conducted by a four-person committee formed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif found the deadly blaze had engulfed the unit “within approximately two minutes” just after 6.30am local time on Aug 26, with a nurse only able to save one of the 15 infants in the hospital’s care.



Among those suspended were hospital staff including its executive director and the head of the neonatal department, as well as the director-general of Islamabad’s emergency services.