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Pakistan: Labour and rights groups petition the Sindh High Court on the Baldia Town factory fire incident on Sept 11, 2012, in Karachi

by PILER, 23 September 2012

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Posted below are the details of a petition filed with the Sindh High Court on the tragic Baldia Town factory fire incident on Sept 11, 2012, in Karachi. The Petition has been filed by the Pakistan Institute of Labour and Education and Research (PILER), Pakistan Fisher Folk Forum, National Trade Union Federation, Hosiery Garments Textile, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, and legal activist Javed Iqbal Burki and others.

The Petition hearing was held on Thursday and the Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court has ordered issuance of notices to respondents. The factory owners, Messrs Ali Enterprises have been ordered to submit a list of all their assets before the Honourable Sindh High Court.

The content of the Petition is attached for your information. Key points from the prayer of the petition are as follows. The Petition pleads the Court to:

a) Constitute a judicial commission headed by an HC or an SC Judge to give its findings on the causes of the industrial fire tragedy; assign responsibility and liability including government officials and departments responsible for negligence, and failure over a timely response to the fire; determine compensation for the families of the victims; and make recommendations for the avoidance of such industrial tragedies. The recommendations should also include enacting and enforcement of new fire and safety labour laws;

b) Demand reasonable and appropriate financial contribution for the victims from the Ali Enterprises as well as the Government of Pakistan and the Government of Sindh;

c) Conduct a criminal trial against the accused either by the Sindh High Court itself or by a nominated session judge;

d) Direct the Government of Sindh and the Provincial Labour Ministry to immediately conduct a survey and inspection of all labour establishments, factories and industrial units in Sindh, in order to ensure the implementation of fire and safety provisions under the labour laws of Sindh and Pakistan and to submit a comprehensive report in this regard to the Honourable Court.

The next date of hearing of the petition is Tuesday, 25 September, 2012.

Please feel free to contact Sharafat Ali, Manager Advocacy and Networking, Pakistan Institute of Labour and Education and Research (PILER) at 021-36351145-7 or at piler@cyber.net.pk for information.

SEE FULL TEXT OF THE PETITION BELOW:

Full text of the Petition filed in the Sindh High court re Badila Town Factory Fire of september 2012