Fireworks tragedy

Till now, six lives have been claimed by the explosion at a fireworks warehouse in Al-Amna Plaza on Karachi's M.A. Jinnah Road. The blast not only destabilised structural pillars and shattered windows of nearby shops and homes, but exposed the lethal consequences of regulatory neglect in densely settled areas.

Official statements confirm the warehouse had once held a licence - yet it had not been renewed for years. This lapse compels deeper scrutiny. Was there ever a follow-up inspection? Why was the licence's expiry not flagged? And how was hazardous material permitted to remain in the heart of the city without oversight? The absence of rigorous enforcement reflects the broader administrative malaise that Karachi is interspersed with storerooms and godowns storing combustible high-risk goods, embedded in both residential and commercial quarters. These pose latent risks that are underestimated at our peril.

Licences issued without due diligence and perfunctory safety assessments are symptomatic of a governance culture that normalises danger. While an inquiry has now been convened, its efficacy hinges on its ambitions. It must move beyond assigning blame and towards structural reform. Authorities should conduct a comprehensive inventory of such hazardous installations and revoke stale or questionable licences. Moreover, dangerous elements should be relocated to designated industrial zones equipped with proper safety infrastructure.

One cannot pin down such acts on fate or chance. They are the outcome of negligence and weak enforcement. Each preventable blast claims innocent lives and leaves families in anguish. Those who issued the licence in the first place, and those who allowed the facility to continue unchecked, cannot be absolved. The warehouse owner too must be held accountable. However, structural reforms are as important as punitive measures.