On the 13th anniversary of the Ali Enterprises factory fire, families of victims and labor advocates assembled today to commemorate the 260 lives tragically lost.
Due to inclement weather, a larger memorial is planned for Sunday, September 28. The gathering featured a candlelight vigil and reaffirmed the commitment to safer workplaces and resistance against exploitative practices.
Hasna Khatoon, Chairperson of the Baldia Factory Fire Affectees Association, stated that although the factory was demolished, the memory of the tragedy remains. She emphasized that this event, a dark chapter in the region”s industrial history, will continue to fuel workers” rights advocacy.
Nasir Mansoor, Secretary General of the National Trade Union Federation Pakistan (NTUF), highlighted the prioritization of profits over employee safety by both local and international corporations. He pointed out the persistent dangers faced by laborers, with accidents occurring daily. Mansoor criticized existing labor laws, conventions, protocols, and accords for failing to enhance workers” conditions.
He further condemned the ILO Pakistan Office for transferring USD 6.1 million in compensation from the German brand “KiK” to a private insurance firm without consulting victims” families or labor representatives. He accused the ILO of a lack of transparency and threatened protests if their concerns remain unaddressed.
Riaz Abbasi, head of the SITE Labour Forum, accused government labor institutions of siding with employers and suppressing employee rights. He criticized the alleged corruption and dysfunction within various labor-related organizations.
Comrade Zehra Khan, General Secretary of the Home-Based Women Workers Federation, criticized the Sindh Labour Code as detrimental to workers rights and accused the PPP government of promoting exploitative contract systems. She also highlighted the silence of international brands sourcing from Pakistan regarding labor violations, specifically citing a case of union-busting and worker intimidation in Karachi.
The gathering issued demands including a memorial for the victims, establishment of a worker rights institution at the former factory site, pension disbursement, transparency from the ILO, withdrawal of the Sindh Labour Code, criminalization of contract labor, investigation into labor institution corruption, and strengthening of worker safety committees. They also called for improved due diligence laws, expansion of the Pakistan Accord, and mandated wage payments through banking channels. Several labor leaders and representatives also spoke at the event.