Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court is likely to hear this week petitions seeking the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the PIMS tragedy and other related matters.

Advocate Qasim Iqbal Jalali has filed a petition in his personal capacity seeking the formation of a commission comprising a judge of the Islamabad High Court. The Federation, Secretary Interior, Secretary Health, Chief Commissioner and Inspector General of Islamabad have been made respondents.

The petition seeks the formation of a judicial commission comprising an Islamabad High Court judge or a West District Sessions Judge to investigate the incident that occurred at PIMS on August 26.

The petitioner has also sought directions for a forensic investigation into the incident and a comprehensive audit of the PIMS fire alarm system.

The petition expresses no confidence in the fact-finding committee constituted by the government, arguing that officials included in the committee may have conflicts of interest.

According to the petition, a basic principle of justice is that no person should investigate and adjudicate a matter in which they themselves may have an interest.

The petitioner further claimed that the public had expressed widespread distrust of the government committee. It was also alleged that the Director General Emergency Services could himself be among those responsible for the incident, making his inclusion in the inquiry committee a clear conflict of interest.