This chapter argues that Pakistan has never had a bona fide system of occupational safety and health (OSH) laws, policies, standards or enforcement mechanisms (“OSH infrastructure”). Instead, the country’s present OSH infrastructure remains divorced from workers’ most urgent needs and the country’s institutional capacity—effectively leaving workers without protection. This chapter traces the progress of the fire, delineates violations of OSH law and provides an account of the actions and inactions of various actors involved. In doing so, it highlights the gap between the OSH system’s deficiencies and the fatalities they caused; outlining what measures were legally required to prevent such a tragedy but they were not in place. Then, it explores the geneology of these illegalities and accompanying apathies as it traces the history of Pakistan’s OSH infrastructure back to its origins under British colonial rule and contextualises it with the overarching global (politico-economic) order in which the factory fire should perhaps be seen. Thus, it renders visible the historical trajectories and contemporary political and economic factors that have led to workers’ persistent exclusion from the politico-legal sphere, denial of their rights and their dehumanisation—specifically in Pakistan and generally in the Global South. It concludes by identifying some directions that could be taken for a renewed and vitalised mandate to govern the OSH infrastructure in Pakistan.

Adeela Suleman is a globally celebrated artist and sculptor. She was front and centre of the artists’ response to the Ali Enterprises Factory Fire of 2012. Under her leadership, the Vasl Artists’ Association sent out a call for submissions to artists across Pakistan and the overwhelming response was curated in the form of the exhibition titled: ‘Awaaz Baldia Factory Inferno: Artists Respond’ which was hosted by the Arts Council of Pakistan in February 2013. Her monument dedicated to those who lost their lives in the fire was also part of the one year anniversary of the fire has been placed at the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER). She also facilitated several international collaborations and artists intending to engage with the fire. Palvasha Shahab sat down with her to explore her thoughts about the role that art and artists play in the face of calamities and social injustices, her relationship to Karachi and her own response to the fire.

Saeeda Khatoon rose as a prominent figure and main voice of the Ali Enterprises Factory Fire Affectees Association (AEFFAA). She lost her son in the fire of 11 September 2012 and was one of the four petitioners in the German case against KiK. In this interview, she speaks to Palvasha Shahab about the events unfolding from her perspective as well as strategic decisions and collective organizing in light of the transnational lawsuits she was involved in.

Zehra Khan is a prominent labour activist and journalist who has been working in Karachi, Pakistan, for more than a decade. She is the founder and General Secretary of the Home Based Women Workers Federation of Pakistan (HBWWF). She also works closely with the National Trade Union Federation (NTUF). In this interview, she speaks to Palvasha Shahab about current and future struggles in regards to working conditions in Pakistan.

No abstract