Heirs of Baldia factory fire victims reject 'non-transparent' pact for reparations.

KARACHI -- The heirs of the victims of Ali Enterprises Baldia factory fire and representatives of labour organisations expresses serious concerns over the pact of International Labour Organisation (ILO) with an insurance company regarding compensation money given by a German brand for the heirs.

They have rejected by terming it 'non-transparent' during a press conference called at the Karachi Press Club here on Wednesday.

Addressing the press conference, leaders of the Association of Affectees of Baldia Factory Fire, National Trade Union Federation Pakistan, Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research, Home Based Women Workers Federation, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and SITE Labour Forum including Muhammad Siddique, Hussain Khan, Nasir Mansoor, Karamat Ali, Asad Iqbal Butt, Zehra Khan and Riaz Abbasi said that the ILO took a unilateral decision without taking the real party in confidence. They said that the interests of labours should be safeguarded at all costs.

They said that the general body meeting of Association of the Affectees of Baldia Factory Fire was held in Karachi on Sunday in which they took some important decisions.

Sadly, the ILO while violating the deal and despite repeated demands of the heirs, kept the compensation funds for last five years and distributed monthly compensations among the heirs through SESSI. Hence, a big chuck of these funds was spent and the heirs and stakeholders were not informed about it. The participants of the press conference said that the ILO was responsible for all this.

Under this deal an oversight advisory committee was formed at the Pakistan level to distribute these funds and take care of the related issues with representation of the government, labour organisations, heirs and factory owners. The heirs demanded that as per the deal, the compensation funds should be brought to Pakistan and invested with mutual consultation to ensure life-long assistance of the heirs and affected people. In this regard, the association of the heirs and labourer organisations in consultation with noted Pakistani lawyers shared an investment plan with the ILO, but the ILO didn't respond.

The heirs of the 260 martyrs of Baldia factory fire and dozens of injured and their local and international supporter labour organisations had, after a great struggle, inked a deal with the German brand KIK that had agreed to pay a long-term compensation of $5.1 million. The representative of KIK had signed the...