Fire at garment factory in Karachi: SAPM directs EPZA to ensure strict safety overhaul
ISLAMABAD: Taking serious notice of the fire incident in a garment factory at Landhi industrial area of Karachi’s Export Processing Zone (KEPZ), the Ministry of Industries and Production on Friday has advised the Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA) to fully investigate and review the recent fire incident and ensure that the firefighting system is put in place.
In this connection, a high-level emergency meeting was called here by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production, Haroon Akhtar Khan, with the relevant EPZA officials and warned the authority no more fire incidents and negligence will be tolerated. He directed the EPZA to take serious notice of the incident and ensure a strict safety overhaul following repeated EPZ fire incidents.
Haroon Akhtar expressed serious anger and concern over the repeated fire incidents in export zones, stating that such occurrences were alarming and must not be allowed to happen again. He directed EPZA to ensure strict implementation of safety protocols and preventive measures across all export processing zones.
He emphasised that fire safety measures must be mandatory for all factories, and no negligence or delay in compliance would be tolerated. “Human lives are precious, and any form of carelessness is unacceptable,” he said.
The officials of the EPZA said that the authority is installing safety equipment in the industrial units. They said that the authority equipped 27 units with firefighting instruments, where the system is fully functional. While other units are also working on the installation of the firefighting equipment.
The SAPM made it clear that EPZA must take full responsibility for preventing future incidents.
“There should not be any other accident. The responsibility lies with EPZA, and strict action will be taken if safety standards are ignored,” he added.
He further instructed EPZA to hire qualified safety experts and ensure that every factory fully complies with national and international safety rules and regulations. He reiterated a zero-tolerance policy for negligence and incompetence, stressing that the protection of workers’ lives is the top priority.
Haroon Akhtar directed EPZA to upgrade all processes and safety systems in line with international standards, highlighting that tangible results are now essential. To ensure continuous oversight, he announced that weekly review meetings will be held, during which EPZA will present progress reports and compliance updates.
The 1981 rules of the EPZA state, “The Authority shall undertake to provide infrastructure facilities such as electricity, water, gas, telephone and telex which are considered necessary for efficient industrial operations in a Zone: Provided that the cost of providing such facilities shall be borne by industries set up in a Zone. (ii) The Authority may also provide to investors a list of contractors for providing necessary services such as stevedoring, movement of goods to and from a Zone, factory design and construction for their information and guidance. (iii) Postal, fire services, first aid station and medical centres shall be provided within a Zone. (iv) Supporting enterprises, including banking, insurance and other such services specified by the government from time to time, shall also be provided within a Zone.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025