LAHORE – Chief Executive Officer CEO Health and Medical Superintendent of District Hospital Pakpattan have been arrested after Chief Minister took stern action in horrific case of 20 Infant deaths.
As the incident shocked everyone, Punjab CM visited Pakpattan Hospital and ordered immediate arrest of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Health and the Medical Superintendent of the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital Pakpattan.
The arrests were made on-site by local police, as public outrage grows over what many see as a preventable healthcare disaster.
The crisis at DHQ Hospital prompted three separate official inquiries into deaths of 20 infants in the hospital’s paediatric ward. Adding fuel to the controversy, a letter written by Senior Head Nurse Salma Tufail surfaced on social media, in which she warned hospital authorities about oxygen supply issue and stressed need for urgent stock record management.
The letter appears to contradict statements made by Dr. Sohail, CEO of District Health Authority Pakpattan, who has insisted there was no oxygen shortage during the first three weeks of June. He attributed the children’s deaths to severe malnutrition, claiming that they were brought to the hospital in already critical condition from other locations.
Dc Maria Tariq cast doubt on nurse’s claims. She said Tufail had clarified oxygen supplies were available and that her letter only called for better documentation practices—not a warning of depletion.
Further complicating the situation, the whereabouts of the hospital’s contracted oxygen supplier are currently unknown, raising serious concerns about inventory tracking and accountability during the critical period.
Amid heightened tensions, local officials were placed on alert on Thursday amid speculation that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz might visit the hospital to meet with bereaved families and announce compensation packages.
Meanwhile, Prof. Dr. Shahid—Head of the ICU at Sahiwal Teaching Hospital and leader of one of the three official inquiries—confirmed that he has submitted his report to the Sahiwal commissioner. However, he declined to reveal any conclusions.
Public concern continues to mount over how the findings of the three ongoing investigations—by provincial authorities, health regulators, and law enforcement—will be consolidated into a single, credible explanation of the tragedy.
