KARACHI, Sept 29: Condemning the indifferent attitude of the government regarding one of the worst industrial accidents in the country’s history, labour leaders and civil society organisations have urged the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take suo motu notice and order a probe to find out the real culprits of the devastating fire in a Baldia Town factory that left over 250 workers dead.

Speaking at a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Saturday, Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research chief Karamat Ali demanded that stern action be taken against the owners and government officials responsible for the disaster and immediate compensation be paid to the victims.

He said one of the major reasons for the fire was non-implementation of laws, including the Factories Act of 1934.

He said as the labour minister had said the inspections had been stopped by the chief minister so his role in the tragedy be also looked into and inspections be resumed immediately so safe work environment could be provided. Even International Labour Organisation had expressed concern over the discontinuation of the inspections and suggested that these be resumed, he added.

He said that if stern action was not taken and working conditions did not improve the foreign buyer might review their future orders.

Habibuddin Junaidi, Mirza Maqbool, Nasir Mansoor, Saeed Baloch, Rehana Yasmin, Shaikh Majeed and others were also present.

Earlier, a large number of workers gathered at the KPC and joined a procession organised by the Workers Rights Movement demanding action against those involved in the factory fire, arrest of the factory owners and the government officials who did not perform their duties.—Staff Reporter