
Last year’s fire in a garment factory in Karachi that killed more than 250 workers put the plight of Pakistani workers in world headlines, highlighting just how little protection they have. Their employers, be they coal miners or garment factory owners, can get away with murder but for those working in hazardous conditions, like the coal miner breathing in toxic fumes, there is no access to legal recourse, let alone a mask to protect him. What then is the solution? It is up to the state to investigate and prosecute the negligent party responsible for the loss of lives. Ultimately, the coal mine owners are responsible for providing a safe working environment for their workers in accordance with the law, which protects workers from being exposed to risks in this manner.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 2nd, 2013.
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