The fire broke out at around 7 am local time (0200 GMT) on the third floor of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital’s mother and child health ward, according to local broadcaster Geo TV.

According to the report, there were 16 newborns in the ward when the fire broke out, and one infant was rescued.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered an immediate investigation into the incident and called for those responsible to be identified and to face the “strictest action”, his office said.

The ward was cordoned off after the fire, while ambulances were seen outside the hospital, according to a Reuters witness.

The incident is among the deadliest hospital fires in Pakistan in recent years, highlighting concerns about the condition and management of public healthcare facilities, which are often under-resourced and overcrowded.

PIMS is one of Islamabad’s main public hospitals and is centrally located in the capital.