Prime Minister's office maintains that he had called for re-investigation of murder charges against factory owners if they were wrongly filed. PHOTO: AYESHA MIR/FILE
KARACHI:
Several NGOs advocating human rights have gone to the court against Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf for his alleged interference in the proceedings of the Baldia factory fire case.
They have also asked the court to order that the gutted factory be turned into a rehabilitation centre for the victims’ families.
The Pakistan Institute of Labor Education and Research (PILER), Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum, National Trade Union Federation, Hosiery Garments Textile and General Workers Union, are among six petitioners who have filed a petition in the Sindh High Court.
The factory owners - Abdul Aziz Bhaila as well as his sons Arshad Bhaila and Shahid Bhaila - have been named in FIR 343 of 2012, registered at the SITE-B police station under Sections 435, 436, 337, 322, 302 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code. According to the petitioners, the Prime Minister in his address to the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry on December 29,2012 reportedly said that “the authorities should re-investigate the Baldia fire case and provide justice to the employers of Ali Enterprises if a wrong case has been registered against them under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code.”
The court was also asked to direct the Sindh government to acquire the gutted factory’s land to establish and run a rehabilitation and community centre for the families of the victims and to order action against the government departments responsible for enforcing building, labour and environmental laws.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 27th, 2013.
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COMMENTS (7)
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That was not a wise line from PM office, period.
Which political party is behind these NGO's?Why are people in charge of civic agencies in Karachi are not behind bars?What has the local government done to help the dead workers families with identifying the dead. Who is providing them jobs. The Bhaila brothers are the scapegoats for the people in charge in Karachi right before the next elections. Shame on everyone who has commented here.
Has our PM got nothing else on his hands except taking back the case of 500 hundred victims? what a Shame.
The KCCI members who supported the dropping of charges against Bhaila and sons, must themselves be guilty of treating their employees as slaves and bonded labor.
What did the Prime Minister get by fawning to the KCCI? He had no right to appease them and assuage their fears. This is an outright case of exploitation, torture, negligence and pre-meditated murder. More than 250 people died mercilessly and the GOS is still undecided about how to proceed? Why the limbo? Are they delaying action in the hope of coming back to power? All persons sympathetic to this carnage must stand up and make themselves be heard.
Let us change the name of our country to the Republic of Ajuj and Majuj. Salams to 2013
Very appropriate action by the NGOs.
This is Pakistan.
Good move by NGOs People of karachi again should come farward and protest as they did for Shahzeb Now people of Karachi are United, against these type on anti human practice we must stand for the factory workers Families Govt should feel shame, whole world media involve in this matter