TAXILA: A grief-stricken family laid their newborn baby girl to rest in Wah Model Town on Wednesday, days after the infant lost her life in the devastating fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), Islamabad.

The newborn baby of Kiran Fatima and Ahmed Saeed Rehman had been admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Pims after her birth. She was among the newborn babies who perished when a fire broke out in the hospital’s neonatal care unit on Wednesday morning. According to family sources, the tragedy left the parents and relatives shattered.

The baby girl was born after more than two years of the couple’s marriage, turning what should have been a moment of immense joy into an unbearable loss for the family. Mr Rehman is currently serving abroad and was reportedly unable to be with his family when the tragedy struck.

Relatives said the newborn had brought immense happiness to the family after a long-awaited arrival, but her life was tragically cut short before she could be taken home.

The funeral prayers were offered amid an atmosphere of profound grief, with relatives and residents mourning the loss of the innocent child. Her tiny coffin, carried to her final resting place, became a heartbreaking symbol of a joy that lasted only a few days.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2026