LAHORE, Sept 13: Pakistan Muslim League-N President Nawaz Sharif holds government officers and factory owners equally responsible for the Karachi factory fire.

He was talking to the media after visiting the burnt factory on Bund Road here on Thursday.

The PML-N chief didn’t talk about the lapses, administrative, technical or others that caused the Lahore tragedy.

Nawaz lamented that the menace of corruption and plunder had plagued the nation as labour inspectors inspected the factories only for taking bribe.

He said labour laws that did exist for preventing tragic incidents were not being implemented resulting in loss of lives as government institutions were not showing diligence in performing their duties.

“If factory owners are responsible for the tragic incidents, then government functionaries cannot be absolved of their recklessness,” he said.

The PML-N chief regretted that police stations were being ‘auctioned’ as witnesses did not join court proceedings even if any challan was presented to the judiciary.

He told a questioner that terrorist activities were being carried out in Karachi and national institutions were being destroyed.

He urged the masses to wake up before it is too late.

Replying to a question, he said former army ruler Pervez Musharraf was also responsible for the current situation in the country.

He said he would visit Karachi on Friday (today) to condole with the heirs of the ill-fated workers burnt alive in the Baldia Town factory inferno there.

Later, he presided over a meeting at the Model Town office of the party and discussed the reasons for the Lahore incident and framing a strategy on improving the factories inspection as well as shifting them outside the municipal limits.

JoinS PML-N: Former PML-Q MNA Ahmed Raza Maneka from Pakpattan called on PML-N President Nawaz Sharif at the latter’s residence here on Thursday and announced joining the N League.