A delegation of European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) showed concern over human rights-related condition of Pakistani workers and said the High Court of Dortmund in Germany will hear the case of four heirs of Baldia factory fire victims. Notwithstanding with what is the cause of factory fire, the factor of lack of safety measures in Ali Enterprises could not be ignored, it said.
The members of the delegation were addressing a crowded press conference at the Karachi Press Club (KPC) on Tuesday arranged by the National Trade Union Federation (NTUF).
They expressed their heart-felt sympathy with the bereaved families of earthquake victims in Pakistan and Afghanistan and demanded of the government to take steps on war footing basis for early rescue and rehabilitation of the survivors. They appealed to the organisations of workers across the world to play their due role in expressing solidarity with the survivors.
The German delegation accompanied by Pakistani labour leaders said that three years had already passed after Baldia factory fire incident but the owners of Ali Enterprises and the government had failed to meet demands of the heirs of victims. They regretted that the government also failed to take solid steps to preempt incidents like Baldia factory fire tragedy in future.
They said despite the verdicts of apex courts and the international accords inked by the government, the workplaces in Pakistan were still virtual deathtraps for workers. “There is an unholy alliance of government agencies, factory owners, international brands and social audit companies to deprive workers of their due rights of legal wages, work hours, health and safety at workplace, social security, pension and the right to make labour unions. Due to anti-worker attitude, the chances of happening of incidents like Baldia factory fire have raised manifold.”
