"On eve of deadly factory fire anniversary, Pakistani labour activists urge action for worker safety", 9 September 2021

On the occasion of the ninth anniversary of the Ali Enterprises factory fire in Karachi, labour leaders in Pakistan call upon apparel and textile brands to ensure that factories in their country are made safe. With the start of the International Accord for Health and Safety in the Garment and Textile Industry last week, there is now a concrete avenue to address factory safety in the country. Labour leaders stress the urgency of swiftly expanding the Accord programme to Pakistan...

Saeeda Khatoon, chair of the Ali Enterprises Fire Affectees Association, lost her son in the fire: "In the past nine years many parents lost their children and children have lost their parents. We have not forgotten our children, we are fighting for the other children who are working in unsafe factories. This is our struggle. I don't want any mother to suffer what I have had to go through."...

Unions and labour rights organisations in Pakistan have been calling for the Accord to take up work in Pakistan since 2018 and now renew their call.

"Since the tragic Ali Enterprises fire, in which more than 250 workers died, the trade unions and labour rights organisations in Pakistan have been struggling to convince our governments, buyers and international brands to take concrete measures for the safety of garment and textile workers. We have been working together for five years now to work towards a legally binding agreement with international brands similar to the Bangladesh Accord. Now, after the signing of the new International Accord for Health and Safety in the Garment and Textile Industry and its emphasis in expanding the Accord to other countries, Pakistan is well placed to be the next country to welcome the Accord. Trade unions and labour rights organisations are ready to communicate their willingness to work together with all stakeholders for expanding the Accord to Pakistan," said Khalid Mahmood, Director of the Labour Education Foundation in Pakistan...