Government’s failure
The collapse of a four-storey factory in Lahore has resulted in the second biggest loss of lives after the Baldia Town factory fire in Karachi. Over a score of labourers including child labourers were confirmed dead by Thursday afternoon. As scores more remain trapped under the debris, the scale of the casualties is likely to rise further. The Chief Minister has, as usual, announced compensation for the family of each man dead. This would do little to satisfy the grieving families or ensure that tragedies of the sort do not recur in future.
This is not the only incident in Lahore caused by the government’s failure to enforce construction by-laws. Three years back 25 workers were burnt to death in a Lahore shoe making factory because fire exits were not provided for on the premises. A year after the horrible incident, eight people plunged to death from the burning multi-storeyed LDA building in the city because this too had no fire exits. Had the Punjab administration strengthened whatever mechanism existed to enforce the building laws after the two gruesome incidents, the tragedy at Sundar Industrial Estate could have been avoided.
The neglect by the government to strengthen the law enforcement bodies has encouraged a culture of impunity and widespread corruption in the province. A perception is being formed that the neglect is caused by political exigencies. The government is presumably unwilling to enforce the necessary laws as it is afraid of a strong reaction from unscrupulous elements in the business community who prefer compromising on human security over profit. The government needs to realise that failure to strengthen law enforcement structures can cause further tragedies. The government is neglecting its constitutional duties by not taking measures to save human lives. The attitude shakes the common man’s confidence in political parties. Incidents of the type weaken democracy and encourage other institutions of the state to intervene in the system. The government needs to fulfill its constitutional duties before it is too late.
