PM Honors PIMS Nurse for Courageous Rescue

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has honored PIMS nurse Razia Noreen after she rescued the only surviving newborn from a deadly nursery fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad.

The prime minister met Noreen at the Prime Minister's House and handed her a Rs10 million cheque in recognition of her bravery and sense of duty. Officials have also approved a civil award for her service, after a tragedy that killed 14 newborns and raised urgent questions about hospital safety.

What happened at PIMS

The fire broke out in the nursery at PIMS on August 26. According to reporting on the incident, Noreen had been checking on newborns and preparing medication when she noticed flames and ran toward the nursery.

Security footage described by officials and news agencies showed her entering the affected area and emerging moments later with a baby in her arms. The rescued child was the only survivor from the nursery, making the nurse's quick action both heroic and painfully tied to the scale of the loss.

How Razia Noreen responded

Noreen has said her first instinct was to save the babies in her care. She handed the rescued newborn to medical staff and tried to return for more children, but smoke, fire and a sudden blackout made further rescue impossible.

Her response has drawn national attention because it captured the pressure healthcare workers can face in emergencies. She was not acting for recognition. She was doing what nurses are trained to do: protect vulnerable patients even when conditions become dangerous.

The prime minister's recognition

At the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz praised Noreen's courage and said the nation was proud of her. He presented the Rs10 million reward and said her act of duty would be remembered.

The recognition follows earlier government approval for a civil award and financial support for the nurse. Public praise has focused not only on the baby she saved but also on the emotional burden she continues to carry after being unable to save the others.

Accountability after the tragedy

The fire has also led to calls for accountability. A preliminary inquiry report was made public on the prime minister's directions, and officials said action would be initiated against those found responsible.

The inquiry process has already pointed toward administrative and safety failures that require closer review. Several officials were named for action, while authorities also directed scrutiny of the security company deployed at PIMS.

Hospital safety comes into focus

The PIMS fire has shaken public confidence because neonatal wards are among the most sensitive spaces in any hospital. Newborns cannot move themselves to safety, and even a short delay can become fatal.

That is why the story cannot end with an award ceremony. Recognition for Noreen is deserved, but the larger duty now belongs to hospital administrators, health authorities and regulators who must ensure that fire prevention, alarms, evacuation plans and emergency training are not treated as paperwork.

The inquiry and the public response also show how quickly a hospital emergency can become a national accountability question. Families expect neonatal units to be among the safest rooms in a medical facility, with equipment, staff and evacuation systems ready before a crisis begins. After PIMS, those expectations will be harder for any public hospital to ignore.

Why the nurse's action matters

Noreen's courage has resonated across Pakistan because it reflects the quiet work often done by nurses, doctors and support staff far from public attention. In moments of crisis, their decisions can decide whether a patient lives.

Her humility has also shaped the public response. She has expressed sorrow for the babies who died and said she wished she could have saved more. That grief makes the recognition feel different from an ordinary award.

The country can honor Razia Noreen by remembering her courage, but it must also learn from the fire that made such courage necessary. The rescued newborn is alive because one nurse moved without hesitation. The next responsibility is to make sure no hospital nursery is left so exposed again.