The two heart rendering and tear compelling incidents of fire in factories at Lahore and Karachi that devoured about three hundred lives have exposed the negligence, inefficiency, and inability of federal and provincial governments to avert any disaster. The magnitude of the tragedy is immeasurable, but the politicians belonging ruling parties as well as their opponents performs ritual of condolences and condemnation of the occasion. I wonder these whether these were factories or boiling caldron. After a few days of mourning, the political leaders, as usual will forget the event and try to find out and level some new allegation of corruption and financial mismanagement against each other. All these measures are tantamount to hoodwink innocent masses, divert their attention from real issues and miseries inflicted on them by these kind hearted politicians in the garb of democracy.
As regard fixing of responsibility about this tragedy, no one appears serious. The fire broke out in the heart of cities under the noses of governments and chief executives are unmoved, all claims of their good governance and rule of law sound hallow. The entire system of government consisting of labor, industrial, social security, electricity, home building departments have miserably failed to discharge their duties. Equally responsible are the social welfare organizations, NGOs, legal community, businessmen / traders, and people at large for not pointing out unlawful buildings being raised by the property mafia.
Instead of politicizing the issue, the federal and provincial governments ought to take drastic action against all culprits including owner of industrial units irrespective of their political affiliations. Moreover, all the existing factories and industries need to be surveyed to ascertain whether the owners have provided sufficient safety measures or not. Also, media need to create awareness among masses in this regard.
RAJASHAFAAT ULLAH
Islamabad
