Professor Dr Rana Imran Sikandar, who faced tough questions from reporters after the death of 14 children in a fire at the nursery ward of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), was appointed as the hospital’s permanent Executive Director (ED) in July 2025.
Following the tragic incident, Dr Rana Imran said that the ED’s role was to supervise rather than personally handle every matter, adding that he believed he had carried out his supervisory responsibilities properly.
However, questions were raised over the nursery’s closed entrance, access for fire brigade vehicles and overall fire-safety arrangements at the hospital.
Dr Rana Imran’s appointment as permanent ED came after PIMS had remained without a permanent head for nearly six years. His appointment is expected to continue until his retirement in 2031.
The appointment followed a Supreme Court ruling that allowed faculty members to be considered for the Grade-21 position of Executive Director at PIMS.
His appointment had earlier been challenged by some senior PIMS doctors and faculty members, who raised questions regarding seniority, qualifications and the applicable rules.
Senior doctors, including Dr Ayesha Aisani and Dr Mutahir Shah, approached the Islamabad High Court, arguing that merit and seniority had allegedly been overlooked in the appointment process. Senior doctor Iqbal Durrani also approached the Federal Service Tribunal and the high court, maintaining that the head of a major hospital such as PIMS should be appointed from the management cadre rather than clinical or teaching faculty.
Questions were also raised over some of Dr Rana Imran’s Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs), which had been prepared during his tenure as head of the anaesthesia department and were reportedly disputed in relation to the rules governing an equivalent-grade post.
The matter eventually reached the Supreme Court, which clarified that medical specialists and faculty members could also be appointed as heads of hospitals. The ruling subsequently cleared the way for Dr Rana Imran’s permanent appointment as PIMS Executive Director.
Separately, claims circulating on social media have alleged that the establishment was behind Dr Rana Imran’s appointment. Available media reports and records cited in the claims, however, point to the federal health ministry as the authority involved in the appointment process.
Reports published in April 2023 stated that then-federal Health Minister Abdul Qadir Patel, a Pakistan Peoples Party leader, had appointed Professor Dr Rana Imran Sikandar as PIMS Executive Director.
A report published by Dawn on April 19, 2023, also carried news of Dr Rana Imran’s appointment during the tenure of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government, when the health ministry was held by the PPP.
The available record therefore indicates that the appointment was handled through the federal health ministry rather than being a decision attributed to the Pakistan Army or establishment.
The issue resurfaced following the August 26, 2026 fire at the PIMS nursery ward, in which 14 children reportedly died. Social media posts sought to link Dr Rana Imran’s appointment to the military establishment.
However, the appointment history and available media record show that the process dates back to the federal health ministry’s tenure under the PDM government and the appointment was made during Abdul Qadir Patel’s term as health minister.
PIMS is one of Islamabad’s largest public-sector hospitals, and the appointment of its Executive Director falls within the administrative framework of the federal health authorities.
The nursery fire has raised serious questions about hospital administration and fire-safety arrangements. Any investigation into the tragedy should therefore establish responsibility based on verified evidence, while claims linking the appointment to unrelated institutions should also be assessed against documented records.
The distinction is important as investigations into the nursery fire continue and public attention remains focused on determining what went wrong and who should be held accountable.
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