Families of the Baldia factory fire victims and labour organisations have demanded that the Baldia factory fire case be re-examined from the perspective of identifying the true responsible parties, and legal action be considered against all individuals and institutions involved in the tragedy, including the factory owners.
Addressing a joint press conference at the Karachi Press Club, the speakers said a comprehensive, independent and transparent safety inspection of all industrial units across the country, particularly in Karachi, must be conducted to eliminate risks to workers’ lives and prevent future tragedies.
They said that the recent judgment of the Supreme Court of Pakistan in the Baldia Town factory fire case had further strengthened the victims’ families longstanding position that the true responsible parties for the tragic incident were the factory owners and those government institutions tasked with ensuring industrial safety and protecting the workers’ lives.
They said that unfortunately, the course of the case was deliberately diverted in a specific direction to shield these responsible actors. As a result, not only were the real perpetrators spared accountability, but all legal avenues that could have brought the actual culprits to justice were effectively blocked.
They said that the recent decision of the three-member bench of the Supreme Court in the case pertaining to inferno at the Ali Enterprises in Baldia Town had once again raised serious concerns regarding the investigation process and delivery of justice.
They lamented that 14 years had passed since the Baldia tragedy and the case, which began in 2012, went through multiple legal phases and eventually came 2026, yet the affected families still awaited justice.
They said that the apex court judgment had once again revived the fundamental question: how could the real perpetrators of such a massive human tragedy escape accountability, and why the victims’ families were still forced to struggle for justice.
The participants demanded that a full investigation be conducted into the responsibilities and failures of the Sindh labour department, fire brigade, social security institutions, Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution and other relevant bodies, and accountability ensured wherever negligence was proved.
They said the pending group insurance case in the Commissioner’s Compensation Court must be decided without delay so that affected families could receive their lawful rights.
They said that full details of the long-term compensation funds provided by the German brand KIK — which were transferred by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) into a private insurance mechanism without consultation with victims or labour organisations —must be immediately shared with representatives of the affected families and labour organisations.
They demanded that all stakeholders must be included in decisions regarding compensation, pensions and long-term support.
They urged the Pakistani government, judiciary, international institutions and civil society to treat this tragedy not merely as a past incident but as an ongoing issue of workers’ rights, justice and human dignity.
The struggle for justice for the martyrs of the Baldia factory fire and their families would continue until full accountability was ensured, justice delivered and safe working conditions guaranteed for all workers, they said.
The speakers included Ali Enterprises Factory Fire Affectees Association (AEFFAA) Chairperson Husna Khatoon, General Secretary Muhammad Sidiq, National Trade Union Federation of Pakistan General Secretary Nasir Mansoor, Pakistan Workers Federation Senior Vice President Rao Nasim, IndustriALL Global Union Textile Garments Sector co-chair and Home-Based Women Workers Federation General Secretary Zehra Khan, Tahir Hasan Khan and others.
