Toxic labour trap

The tragic deaths of sanitation workers highlight a grave failure in protecting some of the country’s most vulnerable citizens. Workers are routinely sent into sewers without proper safety equipment, exposing them to toxic gases and life-threatening conditions. Human rights reports and observations made by the Islamabad High Court have pointed to discrimination as a factor that perpetuates this dangerous and demeaning labour. Each year, around hundred workers lose their lives — not due to accidents, but as a result of systemic neglect and irresponsibility. Pakistan must ensure safe working conditions for all. To make this possible, urgent reforms are needed to uphold the dignity of these essential workers.
SHABAZ INTEZAR
TURBAT