Trade Union, Civil Society, and Labour Support Organizations expresses their profound sorrow and grief over the tragic boiler blast at a glue-making factory in Faisalabad, which has reportedly claimed 17 precious lives and left many severely injured.

Date: 21 November 2025

Trade Union, Civil Society, and Labour Support Organizations expresses their profound sorrow and grief over the tragic boiler blast at a glue-making factory in Faisalabad, which has reportedly claimed 17 precious lives and left many severely injured. These are not just 17 individuals, but 17 families whose lives have been irreparably shattered. We stand in solidarity with the families who have lost their loved ones and with all those who are recovering from injuries. This heartbreaking incident is yet another reminder of the urgent need to prioritize workers’ safety in Pakistan’s industrial sector.
Such accidents are not mere “incidents” but preventable tragedies that result from systemic negligence. It is an alarming reality that a majority of factories do not register their workers with social security institutions. When such incidents occur, the absence of social protection further burdens workers and their families, leaving them without the financial and medical support they desperately need during crises.
We reiterate that ensuring a safe and healthy workplace is the legal and moral responsibility of employers. Factories must comply with all relevant occupational safety and health laws, including mandatory boiler inspections, preventive maintenance, and regular risk assessments. Workers must never be forced to labor in hazardous environments where their lives are at constant risk.
We call upon the authorities to conduct a transparent investigation, fix responsibility, and take immediate measures to prevent such disasters from recurring. Strengthening labour inspection systems, ensuring compulsory worker registration with social security institutions, holding negligent employers accountable, and promoting workers’ participation in workplace safety committees are essential steps in this direction.
We stand with the affected families and calls for justice, accountability, and lasting reform to make workplaces in Pakistan safe and dignified for all.

Issued by;
Abbas Haider Director PILER
Habib Ud Din Junaidi, President, Peoples Labour Bureau Sindh
Liaquat Sahi, General Secretary, Democratic Union of State Bank
Qazi Khizer, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan
Mahnaz Rahman, Civil Society Activist
Nasir Mansoor, General Secretary National Trade Union Federation
Tahir Hassan Khan, President, Karachi Union of Journalist
Qamar Ul Hassan, General Secretary, IUF Pakistan Coordination Council
Mir Zulfiqar Ali, Director, Workers Education and Research Organization.
Saeed Baloch, General Secretary, Pakistan Fisher Folk Forum