ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has approved the conferment of Tamgha-i-Shujaat on Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) staff nurse Razia Noreen for rescuing a newborn during the hospital’s nursery fire last month that claimed the lives of 14 infants.

According to a statement issued by the President’s House, Noreen risked her life to enter the nursery as flames engulfed the facility and safely brought out the only newborn who survived the fire.

The PIMS nursery caught fire on Aug. 26 while 15 newborns were inside. Fourteen babies died in the tragedy, while Noreen managed to rescue one child.

CCTV footage showed Noreen entering the nursery as flames spread and emerging moments later carrying the newborn. She later attempted to re-enter the nursery, but the fire had intensified by then.

A government inquiry into the incident found that the fire was likely caused by a fault in the electrical supply cable of air conditioner No. 2. The inquiry also identified shortcomings in hospital systems and institutional failures that contributed to the scale of the tragedy.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had earlier praised Noreen for her courage and sense of duty and presented her with a Rs10 million cheque. He had also announced that she would be awarded the Tamgha-i-Shujaat on March 23.

During her meeting with the prime minister, Noreen said she was simply performing her duty because the babies had been entrusted to her care and she felt responsible for them.

On Sept. 10, Yan Jin, chairperson of a Chinese company, also presented Noreen with a Rs1 million cheque in recognition of her bravery.

“One life saved is equivalent to saving all of humanity,” Yan said, praising Noreen for rescuing the newborn despite the dangerous conditions.

The conferment of the national civil award formally recognises Noreen’s actions during the PIMS nursery fire, in which she entered the burning facility and brought the surviving newborn to safety.