"Seven years after deadly fire, garment workers in Pakistan still need a worker-led factory safety programme", 9 September 2019

Seven years since the Ali Enterprises factory fire of 2012, in which over 250 workers were killed, textile and garment factories in Pakistan remain...unsafe...warns a report...

...The report highlights that although multiple initiatives aimed at addressing workplace safety have been initiated in Pakistan since 2012, all of them have limited transparency and none are enforceable. Most importantly, none of them have been developed with the participation of unions or other labour rights groups in Pakistan. Worker representation is missing...also in their implementation and governance...

 ...The report urges brands and retailers sourcing from Pakistan to heed Pakistan’s labour movement’s calls to support the formation of a legally-binding agreement between apparel brands and local and global unions and labour rights groups to make workplaces safe. Such an agreement must draw upon lessons from the Accord...

...The report also recommends that Pakistan’s national and provincial governments take a series of steps to enhance compliance in factories that would not be covered by the foreseen labour-brand accord...

...the report states that governments in countries that headquarter major garment brands and retailers...must end unaccountable self-monitoring...by putting in place mandatory human rights due diligence legislation...social auditing firms must...[also] be held liable for faulty audits that might cost lives...