Courtesy: Dawn News/AFP

British counter-terrorism police were on Sunday probing a “major” incident near a base used by the US air force after arresting five men on suspicion of “preparing a terrorist act”, police said.

In March, then prime minister Keir Starmer granted permission for “defensive” US action against Iranian missile sites from two UK bases including Fairford.

Armed officers detained the group in the early hours of Sunday after a call to emergency services about three “suspicious vehicles which appeared to be travelling towards the airbase”, London’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

The suspects were initially held near the Royal Air Force (RAF) Fairford air base in Gloucestershire, southwest England, on suspicion of explosives offences.

Some 85 households in the nearby village of Whelford were advised to evacuate and army bomb disposal experts were called in to examine three vans stopped on a rural road.

“Counter Terrorism Policing can now confirm they are leading an investigation into an incident which took place overnight near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire,” the Met statement added.

Broadcast aerial footage showed a bomb disposal robot on a rural road moving around the vans, two of which had their rear doors open.

Police believed the incident had been “contained” and a 400-metre cordon had been put in place. Armed officers could be seen guarding the entrance to the base.

Some 85 households in the nearby village of Whelford were advised to evacuate and army bomb disposal experts were called in to examine three vans stopped on a rural road.

“Counter Terrorism Policing can now confirm they are leading an investigation into an incident which took place overnight near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire,” the Met statement added.

Broadcast aerial footage showed a bomb disposal robot on a rural road moving around the vans, two of which had their rear doors open.

Police believed the incident had been “contained” and a 400-metre cordon had been put in place. Armed officers could be seen guarding the entrance to the base.

Some 85 households in the nearby village of Whelford were advised to evacuate and army bomb disposal experts were called in to examine three vans stopped on a rural road.

“Counter Terrorism Policing can now confirm they are leading an investigation into an incident which took place overnight near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire,” the Met statement added.

Broadcast aerial footage showed a bomb disposal robot on a rural road moving around the vans, two of which had their rear doors open.

Police believed the incident had been “contained” and a 400-metre cordon had been put in place. Armed officers could be seen guarding the entrance to the base.

Some 85 households in the nearby village of Whelford were advised to evacuate and army bomb disposal experts were called in to examine three vans stopped on a rural road.

“Counter Terrorism Policing can now confirm they are leading an investigation into an incident which took place overnight near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire,” the Met statement added.

Broadcast aerial footage showed a bomb disposal robot on a rural road moving around the vans, two of which had their rear doors open.

Police believed the incident had been “contained” and a 400-metre cordon had been put in place. Armed officers could be seen guarding the entrance to the base.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham was being kept updated on the incident, a government spokesperson said.

“We are grateful to the emergency services, who have acted quickly to detain several suspects and put measures in place to keep the community safe,” the spokesperson said.

“It would be inappropriate to comment further whilst investigations are ongoing.”

Defence Minister Wes Streeting thanked “emergency and specialist teams” deployed to the scene.

“We can be reassured that this is being dealt with,” he said on X.

Wes Streeting@wesstreeting

I would like to thank all those emergency and specialist teams who have acted so swiftly regarding the incident in Gloucestershire.   We can be reassured that this is being dealt with, and it is exactly why our emergency response teams and Armed Forces are on standby 24/7.

BBC News (UK)@BBCNews

Major incident in village near RAF base https://bbc.in/4joS7U2

Gloucestershire Police said earlier it had declared a “major incident” with several men arrested “on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act”.

Villagers evacuated

Residents were evacuated to a nearby leisure centre, police said.

Villager Julian Tudsbery said he was woken and advised to leave at about 7am (11am PKT) by police “banging on the door”.

He said a fellow villager had alerted police in the middle of the night after spotting the vans.

“They phoned the airbase police, who didn’t answer the phone. It just rang out so she dialled 999,” he told the BBC.

Fairford is the UK base of the 501st Combat Support Wing, a US air force administrative support wing, which said in a statement that no US air force personnel had been involved in the incident.

“The 501st Combat Support Wing appreciates the swift response and continued support of our local law enforcement partners,” it said.

“We remain in close coordination with our UK partners to help ensure the safety and security of both our military and local communities,” it added.

The MP for the area, Roz Savage, described the situation as “worrying”.

“I have contacted the police for further updates and I’ve been told that it is believed the incident is contained,” she said on X.

Roz Savage@roz_savage

These are worrying scenes just outside the RAF Fairford base. I have contacted the police for further updates and I’ve been told that it is believed the incident is contained. I would like to thank them for the work they are currently doing.

The incident comes amid concerns about the actions of hostile foreign states.

Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood has accused Iran and Russia of using proxies to carry out criminal activities on their behalf on UK territory.

Earlier this month, reports said British military sites had been targeted by drones more than 300 times over the past year.

Britain’s defence ministry did not disclose who was behind the drone activity, but the figures come as European countries have warned of an increase in suspected Russian hybrid operations on their territory. Russia denies mounting hybrid attacks on Western nations.

Britain said in July its armed forces were ready to protect the country from any attack after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards issued a warning not to allow US bombers to fly from Fairford.

1- Header image: Emergency vehicles are parked at Fairford Youth Football club, near RAF Fairford airbase, which hosts United States Air Force (USAF) personnel, in Fairford, Gloucestershire, Britain on September 27, 2026. —Reuters

Courtesy: Dawn News
Video: YouTube

PESHAWAR: At least 21 people, including 15 police officials, were martyred on Friday when an explosives-laden vehicle detonated near a mosque in Kohat Police Lines, followed by terrorists storming the compound and attacking police facilities, according to senior police and district health officials.

District Health Officer Dr Nasir Hassan Afridi confirmed the toll to Dawn, adding that more than 80 people were injured, with three in critical condition.

According to officials, SP Traffic Akbar Shinwari and Dr Israel Orakzai, head of the children’s department at DHQ KDA Kohat, were among those martyred in the attack.

According to police, at least one attacker was holed up inside the compound and a clearance operation was underway.

Meanwhile, the CTD said the Additional IG CTD reached the site of the Kohat attack. An exchange of fire between CTD personnel and the terrorists was ongoing, the department said, adding that the AIG had entered the site himself to take part in the operation and lead the personnel.

The attack

According to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General (IG) Zulfiqar Hameed and police statements, the attack began when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) detonated at the boundary wall near the mosque inside the Kohat Police Lines.

At least seven attackers then breached the compound and headed towards the CTD and Special Branch buildings. Six attackers, including a suicide bomber, were killed by law enforcers, according to a police statement.

At least one attacker was subsequently cornered, prompting police personnel to launch a clearance operation. At around 3:30pm, police said the operation was “in its final stages”.

“The operation will continue until the complete elimination of Fitna-ul-Khawarij,” the IG was quoted as saying, adding that the police’s morale remained high.

Earlier, television footage from the scene showed citizens gathered beside a building with a collapsed wall, digging through the rubble and helping the injured. The blast caused extensive damage to the mosque.

The attack was claimed by the Hafiz Gul Bahadur-led Ittehadul Mujahideen.

Separately, KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi sought a detailed report on the incident, saying the targeting of innocent citizens was “deeply regrettable and unacceptable,” as per a statement issued by his office.

He directed authorities to ensure immediate treatment for the injured. “The nation’s morale cannot be dampened by cowardly acts of terrorism,” he was quoted as saying.

In 2010, 20 people, mostly the relatives of policemen, were killed and more than 90 injured in a remote-controlled bomb blast inside a police colony located just behind the Kohat Police Lines.

Condemnations pour in

President Asif Ali Zardari, condemning the incident, vowed that the complete elimination of foreign-sponsored terrorists was “essential for national security”.

President Zardari wished the injured a swift recovery.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sought a report on the blast from the concerned authorities. He also directed authorities to expedite relief operations, Radio Pakistan reported.

KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also condemned the blast, praying for the recovery of the injured.

“The entire nation stands with the security forces to eradicate terrorism,” he said in a statement.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said in his condemnation that terrorists’ “cowardly acts cannot weaken the nation’s resolve”.

A statement posted on his ministry’s X account said Naqvi expressed grief over the loss of lives in the attack and extended condolence to the bereaved.

“The nation is standing with the families of the martyrs in this moment of grief,” he was quoted as saying.

Ministry of Interior GoP@MOIofficialGoP

وفاقی وزیرداخلہ محسن نقوی کی کوہاٹ میں اولڈ پولیس لائن کے قریب دھماکے کی پرزور مذمت وزیرداخلہ کا قیمتی انسانی جانوں کے ضیاع پر گہرے دکھ اور افسوس کا اظہار وزیرداخلہ کا شہداء کے لواحقین سے دلی ہمدردی و اظہار تعزیت وفاقی وزیرداخلہ کی زخمیوں کی جلد صحتیابی کیلئے دعا

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi also strongly condemned the suicide attack in Kohat and expressed his condolences over the deaths of police personnel and civilians.

In a video message, he said the people of KP had sacrificed more than 80,000 lives for Pakistan and continued to bear the brunt of the fight against terrorism.

“Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is Pakistan’s frontline province in the war against terrorism,” he said, adding that peace in Islamabad and the rest of the country was due to the sacrifices made by the people of the province.

He also criticised those who, he said, labelled the people of KP as terrorists, saying such remarks reopened their wounds and disrespected their martyrs.

Referring to comments by the chief minister of another province, Afridi said it was regrettable to suggest that the threat to Pakistan came from its other provinces rather than India. He said KP and the other provinces were patriotic and had made sacrifices for the country.

“Pakistan is our country, and we will not allow any conspiracy to succeed,” he said, adding that efforts to create division, prejudice and hatred among the people would be thwarted.

United Kingdom’s High Commissioner in Pakistan said she was “appalled by the horrific attack” in Kohat.

“Nobody should face violence in a place of worship“,” she said, adding that her thoughts were with those injured and those who lost loved ones in the attack.

Russia’s embassy in Pakistan also strongly condemned the attack.

“This terrible tragedy, which claimed numerous lives, once again underscores the need for concerted efforts to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We hope that those responsible for this heinous act will be identified and brought to justice.”

The mission added that their hearts go out to the families and friends of the victims. “We wish a speedy recovery to all those injured.”

Embassy of Russia in Pakistan@RusEmbPakistan

The Embassy of Russia in Pakistan strongly condemns today’s terrorist attack on Kohat Police Lines in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This terrible tragedy, which claimed numerous lives, once again underscores the need for concerted efforts to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We hope that those responsible for this heinous act will be identified and brought to justice. Our hearts go out to the families and friends of the victims. We wish a speedy recovery to all those injured.

1- Header image:

People stand near an ambulance and a damaged section of a police facility following a suicide attack in Kohat on September 18. — Reuters

Courtesy: Geo News/Reuters

Country’s main Muslim body calls move rights infringement, vows to challenge it in court

VIENNA: Austria’s ban on headscarves for under-14s faces an initial test on Monday as schools reopen in Vienna and other states, with groups including the country’s main Muslim organisation denouncing it as discriminatory and legal challenges likely.

Austria’s ruling coalition of three centrist parties proposed the ban in schools, arguing it was acting to protect girls’ freedom. The legislation was passed in parliament in December with the support of the far-right Freedom Party. Only the smallest party in parliament, the left-wing Greens, opposed it.

The group that formally represents Austria’s Muslims, the Islamic Religious Community in Austria (IGGO), has said the move was an infringement of fundamental rights, pledging to fight it before the Constitutional Court, which rejected challenges in July because the legislation had not yet gone into force.

The court ruled in 2020 that a previous ban, which applied to under-10s in schools, was illegal because it discriminated against Muslims and the state had a duty to be religiously neutral. Going against that principle requires special justification, it held.

Asked by national broadcaster ORF if the court would overturn the new ban, Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr said: “You can never be completely certain.”

“We in the government carried out very intensive consultations and we in the education ministry tried very hard to write a law that complies with the constitution,” Wiederkehr said in the interview broadcast on Monday.

Left-wing pupils’ organisations have called for protests. The new school year starts on Monday in three of Austria’s nine states – Vienna, the surrounding state of Lower Austria, and Burgenland, all in the east – with the rest following next week.

1- Header image: A woman walks past a mannequin wearing a hijab headscarf at a market in the Brussels district of Molenbeek, Belgium, August 14, 2016. — Reuters

Courtesy: Geo News
Video: YouTube

PM Shehbaz lauds nurse’s bravery, says he also announced Rs10mn as award for her

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced that Pims nurse Razia Noreen, who saved a newborn during the hospital fire, will receive a civil award.

During a meeting with Noreen at his office, the prime minister praised her courage and bravery, saying her act was one that history would always remember.

The deadly fire at the hospital’s gynaecology ward — housing 15 newborns — claimed the lives of 14 infants on August 26.

“The nation acknowledges Razia Noreen’s courage and bravery,” PM Shehbaz said, adding that the entire country was paying tribute to the nurse.

The prime minister also praised Noreen for saving the life of the newborn during the incident.

“You demonstrated great courage,” Shehbaz told the nurse.

He said Noreen would be conferred with the Tamgha-i-Khidmat on March 23 — Pakistan Day.

The prime minister also recalled that he had announced a Rs10 million reward for Noreen.

Referring to the Pims fire, Shehbaz described it as a deeply distressing incident and said strong action had been taken against those responsible.

1- Header image: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praises nurse Razia Noreen, who saved a newborn during the Pims fire, during a meeting held in Islamabad on September 3, 2026. — Screengrab via Geo News

Courtesy: Geo News/Reuters

Over 90,000 estimated to be affected, with relief supplies blocked after barrier lake broke its banks, says Red Cross

• Overflowing barrier lake briefly halted rescue operation.
• Nepal declines foreign rescue offers as unnecessary.
• China orders monitoring of glacier, landslide threats.
  

Nepal and China resumed rescue operations that had been suspended briefly in the flood-hit Himalayas on Friday after risks from an overflowing lake were found to be manageable, easing fears of fresh devastation.

Wednesday’s catastrophic flood caused by a glacier collapse killed 547 people in Nepal and five in China’s Tibet, with almost 1,000 more missing in the two countries.

A huge torrent of rock, ice, mud, and debris cascaded through Himalayan mountain river systems after the collapse, and also led to the formation of a lake where water continued to collect and rise.

Overflow spark fresh panic

On Friday, the lake’s reservoir had topped 2.5 million cubic metres (90 million cubic feet) of water, up from the estimated 1.5-2 million cubic metres (50-70 million cubic feet) recorded a day earlier, before overflowing into the Lhende Khola river and then into the Trishuli, authorities and witnesses in Nepal said.

The overflow sparked panic and warnings from authorities in Nepal, leading to rescue operations being suspended for about three hours. The risk of the lake bursting had prompted all Chinese rescue personnel and vehicles to withdraw on the Chinese side as well and stand by in a safe area, state broadcaster CCTV said.

Both resumed rescue operations after the threat eased.

“By noon, as the risk posed by the upstream dammed lake was deemed manageable, rescue operations for the Gyirong mudslide disaster quickly resumed and were stepped up,” Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said.

CCTV@CCTV

Residents affected by a mudslide in Gyirong County, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, have been resettled, and all stranded tourists have been transferred, local authorities said Thursday.

Nepal’s army spokesperson Raja Ram Basnet told Reuters that rescue operations had been temporarily halted after the flood alert, but it was found that the rise in the water level was only by about 2 feet (0.6 m).

Wednesday’s flood ripped through villages and valleys, destroying power stations, roads and bridges along a route that links Kathmandu with Lhasa in Tibet and is popular with trekkers and pilgrims. Of those missing, at least 540 are foreigners, many of them Hindu pilgrims from India headed to the holy Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar in Tibet.

More than 90,000 people are estimated to be affected, the Red Cross said, adding that trucks with relief supplies were blocked after the barrier lake broke its banks.

China calls for stronger monitoring of glacier lakes

In Beijing, China’s Politburo met on Friday to direct rescue work, state media reported.

Authorities must “scientifically formulate search-and-rescue plans, make every effort to search for missing people from China and abroad,” the meeting chaired by President Xi Jinping said, according to state news agency Xinhua.

The meeting called for stronger monitoring of glacier lakes, landslide risks and barrier lakes, emergency aid to affected areas in Nepal, and closer international disaster cooperation.

China’s Premier Li Qiang, the country’s No 2 official, arrived in the disaster-stricken area of Gyirong on Thursday afternoon, state-run Xinhua news agency said. The visit suggested Beijing was treating the disaster as a matter of the highest national priority.

Chinese rescuers had yet to reach the worst-hit site on the Chinese side of the border, the Gyirong border crossing, by Thursday evening, state media reports indicated, as crews worked to clear debris from the key access road leading to the area.

Dramatic footage on Wednesday showed enormous torrents of muddy water and debris tearing through structures in the border crossing area within seconds and engulfing people trying to flee.

The tally of missing in Tibet’s Gyirong County was 558, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said on Thursday, including 260 foreign nationals. So far, just five people have been confirmed dead on the Chinese side.

‘All of our people are gone’

Earlier, Nepalese rescue teams used helicopters to search for survivors and drop emergency supplies to thousands cut off in towns and valleys, while emergency services — some using sniffer dogs — recovered dozens of bodies swept down into the plains.

Dibga Tamang was among the last people rescued from Rasuwa on Thursday, airlifted along with three others to an army camp in Nuwakot.

“All of our people have gone. They are dead,” Tamang said. “I have no one left waiting for me. Everything and everyone is gone. The end.”

A large number of people arrived at an army base in the area seeking information about missing and dead family members. Bodies were brought into the barracks, and lists of rescued people were posted outside to help families find information.

Buildings ‘wiped out like toothpicks’

Around the world, relatives of those missing were desperate for information about their whereabouts.

Sneha Sudhir was one of 10 women whose husbands had set out from Nepal on a trek to Tibet’s Mount Kailash when the region was struck by disaster.

The men, all from northern Virginia, are among dozens of Americans missing.

“Where are they?” Sudhir said tearfully from her home in Chantilly, Virginia, on Thursday.

Sudhir said the women were supporting each other and reaching out to officials, politicians, and friends and family in the United States and India, hoping for word.

“Everybody is taking turns in shedding their tears, wiping it off and getting back to work,” she said.

President Donald Trump said the US had offered support to Nepal.

“Nobody’s ever seen anything quite like that, where very powerful, strong, well-built buildings were wiped out like they were toothpicks. It’s a terrible thing. We are sending aid and we’ve spoken to the leadership and we let them know anything they want, they’ll have.”

Nepal declines foreign rescue help

While offers of assistance are pouring in, Nepal said it does not need help from other nations in search and rescue missions.

A South Korean rapid response team is already in Kathmandu but has not been deployed because the Nepali government does not have a plan to accept foreign rescue yet, according to the foreign ministry in Seoul.

The Kathmandu Post reported that India, China, the United States, Britain, Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh had asked the government to allow their search-and-rescue teams to assist in the operation.

1- Header image: An excavator in action as rescue workers repair a road leading to Gyirong Port after a mudslide, in Gyirong county, Shigatse, Tibet Autonomous Region, China August 28, 2026.— Reuters

Courtesy: Geo News
Video: YouTube

Fire dept flags inadequate fire safety, life protection arrangements; eyewitnesses say rescue arrived late

• Nursery housed 15 newborns at time of incident: officials.
• Inquiry committee formed to determine cause of fire.
• Fire started after an AC compressor exploded: sources.

ISLAMABAD: Fourteen infants died after a fire broke out in the gynaecology ward of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), officials said on Wednesday.

According to Pims officials, the nursery housed 15 newborns at the time of the incident, of whom only one was rescued.

Rescue sources said the fire started at 6:45am after an air-conditioner compressor exploded inside the nursery at the hospital situated in the federal capital.

According to the district administration, 14 children were completely burnt in the fire that broke out on the third floor of the MCH ward.

Rescue teams reached the site immediately after receiving information, the district administration said, adding that six fire brigade vehicles and four ambulances took part in the rescue operations.

However, eyewitnesses told Geo News that the fire brigade and rescue teams arrived a little over half an hour later and that when the incident took place, the staff scrambled and told people to evacuate.

“We rescued ourselves and our patients,” said one eyewitness, who was an old lady, while another man said that the hospital staff did not use fire extinguishing equipment to put out the blaze.

Bodies handed over to families

State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry said that the rescue team reached the hospital within six minutes of receiving the fire alert.

Speaking to the media in the federal capital, the minister said that all administrative officers were present at the hospital immediately after the rescue operation.

The bodies of 14 children had been handed over to their families, he added.

According to Chaudhry, the initial rescue operation has been completed and its report sent to the prime minister and interior minister.

He said that PM Shehbaz had formed an inquiry team to investigate the incident. “If there was any negligence, it will emerge in the inquiry.”

CCTV footage and all other evidence related to the incident had been secured, he said, adding that the inquiry would also determine how many doctors and staff members were present when the incident occurred.

Probe committee

An inquiry committee has been formed under the chairmanship of the additional deputy commissioner to investigate the incident.

The committee would determine the cause of the fire and ascertain how the incident occurred, the district administration said.

Samiullah, father of a newborn victim, is consoled following a deadly fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) hospital in Islamabad, August 26, 2026. — Reuters

The MCH ward was sealed after the incident, while parents alleged that staff were not present in the incubation centre when the fire broke out.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered an immediate investigation and called for strict action against those found responsible for the tragedy.

Expressed grief over the deaths, the prime minister said that such a situation involving children was “irreparable”.

PM Shehbaz directed authorities to conduct a detailed review of the factors behind the incident and determine responsibility.

Expressing deep sorrow over the incident, the premier said that he shared “the grief of the parents”.

PM Shehbaz later chaired a high-level meeting over the Pims nursery fire, expressing strong displeasure with relevant officials.

During the meeting, the prime minister ordered the immediate suspension of Federal Health Secretary Aslam Ghori from his post.

PM Shehbaz constituted an inquiry committee to investigate the fire, with former secretary of interior Shahid Khan appointed its chairman, according to a statement issued by the PM Office.

‘Fire spread quickly’

Speaking to Geo News, Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said that the death of 14 children has been confirmed so far in the fire.

According to the minister, the director general of health and the hospital secretary were present at the hospital.

“I am in Karachi and travelling to Islamabad”, he said, adding that relevant authorities were in contact with the parents.

“The fire spread very quickly, and the hospital’s electricity also went out immediately with the explosion,” Kamal said.

According to the health minister, Pims executive director was present at the site and remained in continuous contact with him.

Family members and police officers stand outside a mortuary following a deadly fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) hospital in Islamabad, August 26, 2026. — Reuters

Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said that the fire was caused by a short circuit, adding that most children died from asphyxiation.

According to Chaudhry, doctors, nurses and other staff were present during the incident and remained safe.

He said that the fire spread because of gas lines and plastic instruments inside the hospital, adding that oxygen supply also contributed to the spread of the fire.

‘Inadequate fire safety arrangements’

Rescue sources described fire safety arrangements at the medical facility as extremely inadequate.

According to rescue sources, there was no water at the fire point, while couplings were missing from the fire hose.

The sources further said that emergency evacuation routes had been locked, raising concerns over the hospital’s preparedness for emergencies.

Rescue sources said no doctors, ward boys or other staff were present in the incubation centre when the incident occurred.

A CDA Fire Brigade Department report identified inadequate fire safety and life protection arrangements at the hospital.

The report — available with Geo News — said the fire brigade received information about the fire at 6:55pm and its first vehicle reached Pims within six minutes.

According to the report, the hospital’s fire prevention arrangements did not meet prescribed safety requirements.

It said that emergency exit routes were found permanently closed from the outside, while obstacles were also present along safe emergency evacuation routes.

The report further stated that the Pims security staff obstructed the fire brigade personnel during their initial response to the incident.

It also found that arrangements for effectively managing the crowd at the scene were inadequate.

Who was there in the NICU?

Pims Executive Director Rana Imran Sikandar said that two doctors, four nurses and other staff were present in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) when the fire occurred.

Speaking to the media, Sikandar said that one doctor managed to save a newborn during the incident.

He said hospital entry had previously been restricted because of incidents involving child theft in the past.

According to the Pims executive director, the hospital had a satisfactory fire safety system in place.

He added that 24 oxygen cylinders were present at the hospital and the rescue team faced no obstruction during its operations.

Sikandar vowed that action would be taken if anyone was found responsible for the incident.

Condolences pour in

President Asif Ali Zardari also expressed deep grief over the tragic incident and conveyed his profound sympathies to the bereaved families, describing the tragic loss of innocent lives as heartbreaking and an irreparable tragedy.

Calling the deaths of newborns a deeply painful and irreparable loss, President Zardari said that those responsible for the incident must be identified and held accountable according to the law.

Political leaders expressed grief over the fire. National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq said he was “deeply saddened” by the tragic incident and expressed solidarity with the parents in their grief.

He prayed for strength and patience for the bereaved parents to bear the “irreparable loss”.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi described the incident as an “extremely heartbreaking and tragic event”, saying all sympathies were with the grieving families.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah also expressed condolences over the loss of lives, describing news of the children’s deaths as “sad and heart-wrenching”.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said the deaths of innocent children were “extremely painful and distressing”.

She directed that the presence and functionality of firefighting equipment be ensured in all hospitals.

The British High Commission described the incident as “heartbreaking”, adding that its sympathies were with the children’s parents during the difficult time.

Pims report reveals cause behind deadly fire that killed 14 infants

Initial findings link deaths to oxygen ignition, smoke exposure and severe burns inside nursery

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) administration has prepared an initial report into the fatal fire at its gynaecology ward, which resulted in the deaths of 14 newborns.

According to the initial report, the incident occurred in the NICU, where the nebuliser indicating the quantity of oxygen alongside an incubator exploded.

The oxygen subsequently caught fire, producing smoke that travelled through pipes and entered the infants’ breathing systems.

The report said the children died after the oxygen supply was cut off and due to burns sustained in the fire. It added that the fire was initially small but spread rapidly.

The report also stated that video footage showed a flame emerging from an air conditioner.

According to Pims officials, 15 newborns were present in the nursery when the incident occurred, of whom only one was rescued, while 14 others lost their lives.

Rescue teams reached the site after receiving information, while six fire brigade vehicles and four ambulances participated in the rescue operation, according to the district administration.

However, eyewitnesses told Geo News that the fire brigade and rescue teams arrived a little over half an hour after the incident. They said hospital staff scrambled after the fire broke out and instructed people to evacuate the area.

Following the incident, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered the immediate suspension of Federal Health Secretary Aslam Ghori from his post.

PM Shehbaz constituted an inquiry committee to investigate the fire, with former secretary of interior Shahid Khan appointed its chairman, according to a statement issued by the PM Office.

1- Header image: Police officers move past an ambulance outside an intensive care unit after a fire broke out at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) hospital in Islamabad, August 26, 2026. — Reuters