n May 1, just before dawn, a boiler in Ali Raza Enterprises, a dyeing factory in Faisalabad, exploded. Moin Akram, a machine operator, was critically injured in the incident.

Moin’s cousin Amanat Ali says, they rushed to the factory upon hearing of the accident and found Moin severely unresponsive.

“We immediately called the Rescue 1122 ambulance and transported him to the Allied Hospital. He had passed away by the time we arrived there.” He says that the factory owner Ali Raza and general manager Ahmed Mubeen, failed to notify emergency services or the police in a timely manner, in an apparent attempt to conceal the accident. As a result, vital medical intervention was fatally delayed.

On April 21, another devastating boiler explosion at Sargodha Cloth Mills on Sargodha Road in Faisalabad had resulted in the deaths of five workers and injuries to seven others. The incident, which occurred at around 1:30am on Sunday, prompted an immediate response from the Rescue firefighting vehicles and medical teams.

According to Rescue 1122 data, Faisalabad witnessed 20 boiler explosions or fire incidents from June 2019 to May 2024, resulting in the deaths of 13 workers and injuries to 20 others. 

Rescue spokesman Muhammad Zahid said, “The steam boiler exploded due to high pressure that also caused the roof to collapse.” The combined effect of the blast and structural collapse impacted 12 workers, who were transported to Allied Hospital and DHQ Hospital for urgent medical care.

The deceased were identified as Fayyaz Ahmed and his son Muhammad Salman from Bahawalnagar; Muhammad Waseem and Mustansar from Arifwala; and Zunair from Faisalabad. Treatment is ongoing for those injured including Muhammad Azam and Zahoor from Bahawalpur; Abdul Waheed from Pakpattan; and Umair Rashid, Abu Bakr, Shoaib and Sohail from Faisalabad.

Umair, brother of the Zunair who passed away, recalls: “I had just finished dinner and was returning to duty when we heard a loud explosion and fire engulfed the area. The intensity of the blast knocked me to the ground. As the roof caved in, many of us were trapped under the debris. Everybody was screaming for help.”

According to Rescue 1122 data, Faisalabad witnessed 20 boiler explosions or fire incidents from June 2019 to May 2024, resulting in the deaths of 13 workers and injuries to 20 others.

Labour leader Baba Abdul Latif Ansari blames the accidents on dangerous cost-cutting measures employed by many textile mills. “To save on gas expenses, many mills are burning substandard fuels like used cloth, maize residue, wheat husk, dry leaves and bran. This not only compromises the air quality but is also a direct safety risk,” he says.

“To save on gas expenses, some mills are burning substandard fuels like used cloth, maize residue, wheat husk, dry leaves and bran. This not only compromises the air quality but also poses a direct safety risk.“

“Besides, child labour persists in the textile sector due to lack of oversight by the Labour Department. No one is holding mill owners accountable for hiring workers for less than the government-mandated minimum wage,” Latif says.

After the two devastating boiler explosions, police action was initiated against those allegedly responsible. An FIR was registered at Chak Jhumra police station against Ali Raza and Ahmed Mubeen under Sections 322 and 202 of the Pakistan Penal Code, for the May 1 incident. Another FIR, under Section 324 PPC, was lodged at Millat Town police station against Rahat Shah, the boiler engineer of Sargodha Cloth Mills, concerning the April 21 explosion.

Millat Town SHO Sufyan Buttar confirmed that Rahat Shah had been arrested and sent to jail on judicial remand. Meanwhile, the mill owner has secured interim bail.

Bashir Ahmed, the sub-inspector in charge of investigation at Chak Jhumra police station, says the suspects in the May 1 explosion were absconding. He says are raids being conducted to apprehend them.

Shabbir Ahmad Kaliar of the Labour Department says that his department is working to enhance safety measures for workers in the textile industry, enforce minimum wages and eradicate child labour.

Regarding the recent boiler explosions, he says that the families of workers who lost their lives in the Sargodha Cloth Mills incident had each received a Rs 500,000 compensation, in accordance with law.

A report from the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research notes that, following a legislative amendment by the Punjab government in September 2019, factory inspections by the Labour Department have been prohibited. This has potentially contributed to a decline in safety oversight.

“For the injured workers, compensation will be determined and disbursed based on the findings of the Court of Compensation Commission,” he says. He mentions that an initiative is under way to arrange compensation for the family of the labourer who perished in the boiler explosion at Ali Raza Enterprises.

Deputy chief of the Industries Department Faisal Wasim says the main cause of boiler accidents in textile sector is negligence. He says preliminary findings from the Sargodha Road incident indicated that the explosion resulted from excessive steam pressure.

“Despite boilers being equipped with automatic devices to manage steam pressure, accidents can occur if the operational staff neglect the controls,” he says. Recalling a 2021 incident near Samana Bridge, Wasim says a boiler explosion had occurred because the operator fell asleep, allowing the pressure to build unchecked.

He says once a boiler passes annual inspection and receives a fitness certificate, it is the management‘s responsibility to ensure that it is operated in accordance with safety standards. “Fluctuations in fuel supply and staff negligence often lead to disasters,” he says.

Wasim says that while factory owners employed qualified engineers and staff, accidents are common because of cost-cutting measures such hiring untrained personnel post-inspection to save costs. Criticising this practice, he says that it undermines safety and leads to preventable accidents. He says there had been four boiler explosions in Faisalabad over the last four years. Other reported factory incidents involved pressure vessel failure or gas leaks.

Wasim says at Sargodha Cloth Mills, a C-class boiler operator was managing the night shift. This was a violation of the safety protocol that requires a qualified engineer on duty at all times. The practice of saving on operational costs at the expense of safety has dire consequences.

To prevent potential safety lapses, a fact-finding committee was formed to investigate the Sargodha Cloth Mills accident. The findings shall be reported to the chief minister.

In an effort to understand the textile industry’s stance on the recent boiler explosions and the perceived lack of safety measures, attempts were made to contact Dr Khurram Tariq, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and officials from other associations of the textile sector. However, they declined comment on the matter.

A report from the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research sheds light on some underlying issues. It notes that, following a legislative amendment by the government in September 2019, factory inspections by the Labour Department have been prohibited. This change has potentially contributed to a decline in safety oversight.

The report also states that the textile industry often employs contract workers to cut production costs and maintain competitiveness on the global stage. It points out that global brands, which do not own or directly control the supplier factories, often overlook safety standards at these locations.

Efforts by factory owners to cut costs and secure export orders through low bids compromise worker safety and endanger lives.

The writer has been associated with journalism for the past decade. He tweets @ naeemahmad876