He issued the directives while chairing a meeting on an action plan for improving Pims, where the inquiry report and the performance audit by the Ministry of National Health Services were reviewed, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

The August 26 fire at a nursery in Pims’ Mother and Child Hospital claimed the lives of 14 newborns. The incident raised concerns over fire safety measures and sparked calls for accountability, with criminal action being ordered against eight officials.

During Wednesday’s meeting, the prime minister directed that the short-term measures in the inquiry report should be implemented within the next three months.

He also emphasised taking “every possible step” to improve the hospital and align it with international requirements. He directed that assistance and recommendations should be sought from the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute and Research Centre for the fire safety system.

He also directed that measures to ensure the free provision of medicines and facilities at the hospital be made part of the action plan.

The prime minister called for personnel with strong professional reputations to be employed at the hospital, adding that a comprehensive action plan based on the recommended long-term measures should be formulated.

PM Shehbaz also directed to carry out an audit of Polyclinic Hospital to address irregularities, adding that a plan for its restructuring should also be prepared.

He said that Capital Development Authority (CDA) should ensure the implementation of fire safety measures in all public and private hospitals in Islamabad.

“The CDA and relevant agencies should also conduct fire safety audits of public and private offices and buildings and ensure the implementation of safety measures,” the premier was quoted as saying.

During the meeting, the premier was informed that the performance audit of Pims found only 39.7 per cent compliance against indicators assessed.

It was also informed that immediate implementation was being ensured on 37 proposed measures in light of the investigative report. The meeting was also briefed on short, medium and long-term measures for improving the hospital.

The inquiry committee was formed on PM Shehbaz’s directives on the day the fire occurred. It presented its findings and recommendations in a 43-page report on Wednesday.

The committee said that the deadly blaze was most likely caused by a localised electrical failure, while also calling out the hospital management for systemic and institutional failure that turned the fire into a catastrophe.

The committee, headed by former interior secretary Shahid Khan, said in its report that abnormal localised electrical heating — possibly from excessive current, a high-resistance connection or another localised defect — most probably caused insulation failure and ignition of nearby combustible material.

The report, however, pointed out a “history of known but incompletely closed risks”, citing prior warnings, such as the fire at the nursing hostel in Pims. “Yet those warnings had not been converted into a comprehensive, time-bound and independently verified corrective programme before the nursery fire,” the report regretted.

🚨🇵🇰🇸🇦 BREAKING

PM Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemns the attempted drone attack on Makkah Al-Mukarramah.

He salutes the Royal Saudi Armed Forces for their swift response and reaffirms Pakistan’s unwavering support for Saudi Arabia and the Haramain Sharifain. pic.twitter.com/EB73I3FZWr

— Zard si Gana (@ZardSi) September 16, 2026

The Attempted Attack

According to the Saudi-led coalition, Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces intercepted and destroyed a hostile drone launched by the Houthi militia at approximately 6:50 PM local time on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, before it entered the prohibited airspace of the Holy City of Makkah. The drone was intercepted south of Makkah, with wreckage falling in the area .

Coalition spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Malki described the incident as the second reported attempt to target Makkah, following a ballistic missile launch on July 27, 2017. He stated that the security of the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims is a "red line," vowing that the coalition would take necessary measures to deter further attacks .

The Houthi militia has denied responsibility for the attack, with senior official Hezam al-Asad dismissing the claim as a "nauseating lie" .

PM Shehbaz's Strong Condemnation

In a post on X, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated: "I condemn in the strongest possible terms the dastardly and heinous attempted drone attack against the Holy Site of Makkah Al-Mukarramah. The people of Pakistan are saddened and perturbed by this outrageous act. There can be no words strong enough to capture the depth of anguish and sorrow felt by us at this reprehensible and unforgivable act" .

The Prime Minister saluted the "extraordinary vigilance, courage, and professionalism of the Royal Saudi Armed Forces" for their "swift and heroic action" .

Call for Restraint and Dialogue

PM Shehbaz reiterated his call for all parties to exercise maximum restraint and step back from the brink of further escalation, emphasizing that "our region has already suffered far too much from conflict" and that "dialogue and diplomacy remain the only sustainable path towards peace" .

Unwavering Support for Saudi Arabia

The Prime Minister reaffirmed Pakistan's steadfast commitment: "Pakistan stands unwaveringly, shoulder to shoulder with the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in the defence of its sovereignty, and territorial integrity, as well as for the security and sanctity of the Haramain Sharifain – a duty that every Pakistani carries close to their heart" .

The Planning Ministry described Quantum Valley Pakistan as a project aimed at connecting academia, entrepreneurs, government and investors to turn “knowledge into solutions, startups into scalable ventures and innovation into national impact”.

The project aims to create new pathways for Pakistani talent in AI, quantum computing, fintech, agritech, biotechnology, medtech, digital solutions and autonomous technologies, the ministry said.

California’s venture capital firm Plug and Play and the Cambridge Innovation Centre collaborated with the government for the project.

Addressing the launch ceremony, Iqbal said, “We are actually setting a new pathway for Pakistan’s future”.

“Pakistan is ready for innovation takeoff,” he said.

He stressed that this was not an ordinary collaboration, adding that the two companies would bring to Pakistan the “best of innovation in the world and the United States”.

Describing the collaboration as a “unique opportunity” for Pakistan, Iqbal expressed hope for the growth of the country’s technology sector. He said that the paradigm of national progress had shifted in the 21st century, with “brain power” now being a key requirement for development.

The planning minister added that the foundations for growth being established through Quantum Valley would allow Pakistan’s youth to compete with the youth of the world in terms of tech growth and startups.

“Today, we stand at an inflection point,” Iqbal said, adding that in the past two years, Pakistan had seen many successes, namely Marka-i-Haq and recent diplomacy efforts in the US-Iran war.

“In my lifetime, I had never seen that for an entire week, media from the US to Australia was only mentioning Islamabad,” he said, referring to the Islamabad talks in April.

Successes achieved in defence and diplomacy, if not supplemented by a strong economy, can blur over time, Iqbal said.

Alluding to Marka-i-Haq, Iqbal said the nation had to rise to the occasion of “Marka-i-Taraqi” and aim to build a $1 trillion economy by 2035 under the Uraan Pakistan programme. He further said the economy should grow to $3 trillion by 2047, when the country marks its centenary.

Uraan Pakistan is an initiative of the Planning Ministry designed to advance key projects and reforms set out in the 5Es National Economic Transformation Plan.

“These goals are ambitious but not impossible,” Iqbal said.

Iqbal urged the nation to move away from the status quo and instead opt for a “transformational path”.

The ceremony also included the inauguration of the Global Venture Acceleration Programme for local startups, under which they would receive mentorship over 15 weeks, along with a two-week global immersion in Silicon Valley or Boston.

The meeting focused on opportunities for collaboration in defence procurement, production and capacity building, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

The POWERUS delegation was led by Robert Bret Velicovich. During the meeting, CDF Munir also highlighted the “importance of technological innovation and advanced solutions in strengthening national security and resilience.”

The company, according to its website, “builds hardware and unified systems architecture that keep critical assets running in high-consequence environments.”

Both sides expressed interest in further developing engagement in areas of mutual interest, added ISPR.

In January, US and Pakistan army soldiers completed training at the National Counter-Terrorism Center during Exercise Inspired Gambit, which focused on combined infantry skills and tactics, and counterterrorism operations.

In December last year, the US approved the sale of advanced technology and upgrade packages for Pakistan’s F-16 fighter aircraft, a deal valued at approximately $686 million.