KARACHI: ‘Despite passage of six years since the tragic industrial incident of Baldia Factory fire in 2012, the working conditions in almost all factories of Pakistan are still the same and workers are performing their jobs in dangerous working conditions’

These remarks were made by the speakers at a seminar on health and safety and award distribution ceremony in connection with the 6th Anniversary of Baldia Factory Fire which was jointly organised by Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER), National Trade Union Federation (NTUF), Rasheed Razvi Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights (RCCHR) and Ali Enterprise Factory Fire Affectees Association (AEFFAA) at PILER Centre on Sunday.

“Workers in Pakistan are still struggling for their fundamental rights and International Labor Organisation (ILO) ranked Pakistan at fourth spot in the list of the countries with the worst working conditions in the world,” said the speakers. Justice (Retd.) Majida Razvi who is the chairperson of Sindh Human Rights Commission presided over the function whereas former chairman of Senate of Pakistan, Senator Raza Rabbani was the chief guest for the event.

Speaking on the occasion, Senator Raza Rabbani stressed on the need to form an alliance of workers, middle class and intellectuals for the acquisition of their fundamental rights. “Unfortunately, we are living in a society where the state has failed to fulfill its constitutional responsibilities,” he said. Raza Rabbani added that it was the responsibility of the state to protect its minorities and the Pakistani state had failed to protect minority rights.

Moreover, Raza Rabbani said that the state had also failed to provide fundamental rights to workers. “Right to association is provided in the Constitution, but we have seen how the state, through a well planned strategy, destroyed the trade union movement in Pakistan,” he added. Concluding his address, the senator congratulated PILER and other organisatons for conducting a successful struggle for worker rights. Senior lawyer advocate Faisal Siddiqi said that acquiring compensation for the families of victims of Baldia Fire incident was a big success for the labour organisations and it became possible because of the steadfast struggle of victims’ families as well as the support received from international human rights organisations. He recommended that a monument be constructed at the central part of the metropolis to remember the workers who lost their lives in the tragic incident.

He also expressed concern over the working conditions in factories. Siddiqi appreciated the Sindh government for passing a law regarding health and safety in industries and said that this law should be implemented.

A representative from ILO country office, Ms Belinda Chanda said the ILO was engaged in efforts to make working places safe in Pakistan. She appreciated the Sindh government for enacting pro-labour legislation and taking measures to protect the rights of the laborers. “A lot remains to be done,” she remarked during her speech. She expressed solidarity with the families of the victims and acknowledged support from Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) and IndustriALL Global Union. “We recognize the key role of PILER, affected families and NTUF,” said Belinda Chanda.

Liana, a representative of the CCC recalled that around 140 workers had lost their lives in a factory fire incident in the USA in 1911. She said after Baldia Factory Fire incident in Karachi, her organisation made a lot of efforts to hold the German KiK company accountable.

PILER Executive Director Karamat Ali, also spoke on the occasion. He said that the Baldia factory fire was the worst ever industrial incident in the history of Pakistan. He said that this incident was a man-made incident in which over 259 workers lost their lives. “There was no trade union in that factory, no unions were present in the factories of the many industries in SITE area,” he said. Karamat Ali expressed gratitude to international organisations especially Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) which raised the issue on an international forum which caused the German retailer KiK to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with PILER.

He explained that as a result of MoU US $1 million (mn) were received as immediate relief and later US $5.15 mn as a long term compensation for the families of the victims of Baldia Fire. “Since January 2017 the affected families have started receiving long term compensation,” he informed the gathering. Ali further said that the MoU was the first agreement under supervision of ILO and it had become a precedence in the world.

Nasir Mansoor of National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) said that no political party provided support to affected families. “The attitude of owners was cruel, they tried to divert the attention by terming it a ‘terrorism act’. They did not accept their fault of non-provision of safety,” he added.

Singer Jawad Ahmed, who had prepared a song to honor the victims of Baldia factory fire remarked that workers’ problems will not be resolved until workers received political representation. He said that workers needed their own political party. Ali Enterprises Factory Fire Affecteees Association Head, Saeeda Khatoon appreciated the efforts of NTUF, lawyer Faisal Siddiqi, PILER and other organisations.

Journalists, who covered the event and later the court proceedings, were given awards on the occasion. These included Riaz Sohail and Saher Baloch of BBC- Urdu, Naeem Sahoutara and Shazia Hasan of Dawn , Amar Guriro of Daily Times, Zia Ur Rehman of The News, Maria Ismail of Awami Awaz, Zubair Ashraf, team Dawn TV’s program Zara Hatt Kay and Aslam Khokhar.

Following were the recipients of the awards: Ex-minister of Labour and Human Resources, Government of Sindh Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Department of Labour and Human Resources ex-secretary Abdul Rasheed Solangi, Singer Jawad Ahmed, senior lawyer Faisal Siddiqi, PILER, Government of the Federal Republic of Germany, NTUF,

Ali Enterprises Factory Fire Affectees Association (AEFFAA), Home Based Workers Federation, Head of the Sindh High Court Commission on Baldia Factory Fire Justice (retd) Rehmat Hussain Jaffery, Department of Labour and Human Resources, Sindh Employees Social Security Institution (SESSI), Employers Federation of Pakistan, CCC, IndustriALL Global Union, European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights (RCCHR) member Rasheed Rizvi, Medico International Germany, Hosiery Garments and General Workers Union, Sindh, Edhi Foundation and Adeela Sulaiman.

Published in Daily Times, September 10th 2018.