Fires in the Shadow of National Pride

The recent hospital fires in India and Pakistan have exposed a grim reality: despite decades of national achievement and rivalry, both countries have failed to provide basic public safety for their citizens. The tragic losses of life in Amravati and Islamabad are symptoms of a deeper issue – one that transcends politics and ideology.

In the aftermath of these disasters, officials from both sides of the border have offered condolences, promised inquiries, and pledged to improve fire safety measures. But words ring hollow when faced with the stark reality: repeated hospital fires, often due to preventable causes like faulty equipment or inadequate enforcement of building codes. The frequency and severity of these incidents suggest a systemic failure – one that is both avoidable and unacceptable.

The parallels between India and Pakistan are striking. Both nations have made significant strides in various fields, but when it comes to protecting their most vulnerable citizens, they fall woefully short. The contrast is all the more jarring given the elaborate display of nationalism and militarism on both sides of the border. It’s as if the governments are convinced that their people’s safety is not a priority – that lives can be sacrificed like so many rupees or dollars.

Hospital fires in India have resulted in significant loss of life over the past two decades, with few convictions to show for it. The AMRI Hospital fire in 2011 and the SUM Hospital fire in Bhubaneswar in 2016 are just two examples from a long list of hospital disasters. In Pakistan, a fire at Services Hospital in Lahore killed 10 newborns in 2012, while another 11 infants died at Sahiwal Teaching Hospital in 2024.

The lack of accountability is staggering. Despite repeated warnings and recommendations, hospitals continue to operate with inadequate safety measures. The recent fires cannot be reduced to individual negligence or faulty equipment – they are symptoms of a broader malaise that afflicts both nations. This is not about poverty or war-torn countries; India and Pakistan have the resources and knowledge to implement basic fire safety protocols.

The governments’ priorities are clear: military posturing, diplomatic rhetoric, and grand infrastructure projects take precedence over the most basic needs of their citizens. The emphasis on national pride and security has become a convenient excuse for inaction – an admission that the lives of ordinary people are expendable.

As we mark 79 years of independence, it’s time to confront the harsh reality: our governments have failed us. They have failed to provide the most basic protections for their citizens, instead opting to spend billions on military might and nuclear arsenals. The fact that countries with such vast resources cannot plausibly claim that a functioning sprinkler system or fire safety regulation in a hospital is an unreasonable expectation is a stark indictment of their priorities.

Fires in large buildings are frequent in India and Pakistan due to poor compliance with safety laws and lax enforcement of building codes. These repeated incidents raise fundamental questions about our political systems, judiciary, newsrooms, and civil society. What do they expose? The very core of these two democracies – what they prioritise and who they value.

In the face of such incompetence, it’s time to ask: where is the shame? Where is the accountability? Do the leaders of both nations truly care about their people, or are they content to sacrifice them on the altar of national pride?

The fires in Amravati and Islamabad are not isolated incidents – they are part of a pattern that has been repeated for decades. It’s time to stop pretending that this is an acceptable price to pay for progress. The truth is that our governments have no love for their own people, only a fleeting interest in their lives when it suits their interests.

The floor beneath which a government cannot allow its people to fall repeatedly and remain shamelessly indifferent every single time is the very minimum expected of any civilised nation. India and Pakistan have spent decades convincing their citizens that protection from each other is the highest form of security – but what about protection from their own governments? It’s time to change the narrative, to demand more from our leaders, and to hold them accountable for the lives they are willing to sacrifice.

The fire safety in hospitals is not a luxury or a colonial aspiration; it’s the bare minimum that any government should provide. And if we can’t even do this, then perhaps it’s time to question whether our national pride has been built on shaky ground indeed.