"Toxic chemicals allegedly kill 18 people in Pakistan’s Karachi", 27 January 2023

At least 18 people have died in Pakistan’s largest city of Karachi in the past 16 days, allegedly due to toxic chemicals from factories in the area.

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“As per initial investigation the cause of these deaths are some chemicals which caused some interstitial lung disease,” the statement said. “Medical camps for the treatment of pneumonia have also been established in affected area. Further investigations are under process.”

According to residents, a foul smell had come from two factories in their village, causing suffocation, the Health Department said.

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Hafeez Leghari, a resident of Ali Muhammad Goth, told Al Jazeera that three adults were among the dead, and the rest were children ages one to 13. “The government has sealed the factories in the areas which were giving away the fumes, and officials are here for further meetings with people in the area and for investigations,” Leghari said.