Muhammad Irfan Ullah | August 28, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal has avoided giving a direct answer when asked whether he had sent his resignation to the prime minister following the PIMS tragedy, saying that running hospitals is not the responsibility of the Ministry of Health.
The minister also criticized those attempting to politicize the PIMS incident, urging them to “stop the drama” and deal with the matter seriously.
Minister Speaks on Hospital Management
Speaking during a private television programme, Mustafa Kamal discussed the growing pressure on major public hospitals in Islamabad and issues related to their administration.
He said Islamabad has four to five major hospitals that receive a large number of patients. According to the minister, these hospitals continue to face significant pressure because of the high number of people seeking medical treatment.
However, he emphasized the need to distinguish between the responsibilities of the Ministry of Health and the authorities directly responsible for hospital administration.
Running Hospitals Is Not Ministry of Health’s Responsibility
Mustafa Kamal clarified that directly running hospitals does not fall under the responsibility of the Ministry of Health.
He explained that the ministry’s role primarily involves policymaking and broader healthcare matters, while the administrative affairs of individual hospitals operate under separate management structures.
The minister stressed that the responsibilities and administrative structure of major public hospitals such as PIMS need to be clearly understood when determining accountability following an incident.
Minister Avoids Direct Answer on Resignation
During the programme, Mustafa Kamal was specifically asked whether he had submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif following the PIMS tragedy.
The minister did not provide a direct answer to the question.
Instead, he shifted the discussion toward the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Health and the administrative responsibilities involved in running public hospitals.
No clear announcement regarding his resignation was made during the programme.
Calls for an End to Politicization of PIMS Incident
The health minister also strongly criticized individuals who he believes are attempting to turn the PIMS tragedy into a political issue.
Mustafa Kamal urged such individuals to stop what he described as “drama” and said the matter should be examined seriously.
He emphasized the importance of establishing the facts surrounding the incident so that responsibility and administrative issues can be properly determined.
Major Hospitals in Islamabad Under Pressure
According to the federal health minister, major hospitals in Islamabad provide healthcare services to a large number of patients every day.
The heavy patient load creates significant administrative and medical challenges for these institutions.
Mustafa Kamal said that effective coordination among the relevant institutions is necessary to improve hospital systems and address the challenges faced by public healthcare facilities.
Questions Over Responsibility
The PIMS tragedy has raised questions regarding hospital management, supervision and the responsibilities of the institutions involved.
The health minister’s comments indicate that he does not consider the direct administration of PIMS to be the responsibility of the Ministry of Health.
He maintained that the incident should be examined on the basis of facts rather than being turned into a political debate.
Resignation Question Remains Unanswered
Although Mustafa Kamal was asked directly about reports or questions surrounding his resignation, he did not make a clear announcement on the matter.
As a result, questions regarding whether the minister will resign following the PIMS tragedy remain unanswered.
Instead, his comments focused primarily on the distinction between the Ministry of Health’s policy role and the administrative responsibilities of hospitals.
PIMS Incident Highlights Broader Healthcare Issues
The controversy following the PIMS tragedy has once again drawn attention to the management of major public hospitals in the federal capital.
The incident has also raised broader questions about patient pressure, hospital administration, institutional oversight and the division of responsibilities between government departments and hospital authorities.
With questions continuing to be raised over the incident, attention is now focused on whether further investigations or official decisions will clarify responsibility and address concerns surrounding the management of major public healthcare facilities in Islamabad.
