PM Shehbaz awards Rs10 million award to Islamabad nurse who saved newborn during PIMS fire

Islamabad (Web Desk): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday met nurse Razia Noreen, who displayed remarkable courage by rescuing a newborn during the fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), and presented her with a cheque of Rs10 million in recognition of her bravery and dedication to duty.

The prime minister praised Razia Noreen for putting her own safety aside while responding to the emergency. He said the nation was proud of her courage and acknowledged the exceptional commitment she had demonstrated in the line of duty.

Shehbaz Sharif said the mother of the infant rescued by Razia would continue to remember the nurse in her prayers throughout her life. He also announced that Razia Noreen would be awarded the Tamgha-e-Khidmat on March 23 in recognition of her services.

He noted that although the financial reward was significant, the greater honour was the national recognition of her services, saying she genuinely deserved such an acknowledgment.

The prime minister further stated that strict action would be taken against those found responsible for the fire at PIMS. He said the government would pursue the matter seriously and had directed the relevant federal minister to conduct a comprehensive review of the hospital and oversee necessary restructuring.

Speaking on the occasion, Razia Noreen said she had simply fulfilled the responsibility entrusted to her. She explained that the children had been placed in her care at the time, making their safety her responsibility.

Razia said she was pleased and honoured by the recognition, adding that she viewed herself as a representative and role model for nurses across the country. She stressed that other nurses also perform their duties with the same dedication, commitment and hard work.

Recalling the incident, she described it as an extremely painful experience and said she had made every possible effort to rescue as many children as she could. However, the rapidly unfolding emergency allowed her to save only one infant.

Razia said that the moment she noticed the fire, she did not stop to think about her own safety and immediately entered the affected area.

She also directed another nurse to assist in rescuing the children. That nurse subsequently helped people outside the ward, including postnatal mothers, some of whom had recently undergone surgery.

She recalled rescuing a premature baby belonging to Asifa, who weighed just 1,050 grams, and taking the infant outside.

Amid the chaos, she feared the baby could be separated or misplaced, so she entrusted him to someone she knew and trusted, identifying him as Dr Abdul Rehman.

Razia said she then returned inside to try to rescue another child. At that moment, a blast occurred, leaving the area engulfed in darkness as smoke rapidly spread throughout the premises.

Federal Ministers Syed Mustafa Kamal and Attaullah Tarar were also present during the meeting.