Unique memorial erected for 2012 Baldia factory fire victims

Gleaming in the afternoon sun, a wall formed of bricks inscribed with 258 names,  stands outside the office of an NGO.

This wall is no ordinary wall, the names are of the victims of 2012 Baldia factory fire- 258 in total- and each brick is to remember one victim.

A victim, who left home to earn livelihood for his/her family but came back in a coffin for no fault of his own.

Six years on, the victims are yet to get justice and some are even awaiting due compensation. Most of these workers belonged to poor working class families who lived nearby in small houses devoid of basic facilities.

The wall is Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research’s (PILER) dedicated memorial to victims of the most deadly and worst industrial factory fire in Pakistan’s history.

PILER wants a museum at the piece of land where the ill-fated factory stood so that our future generations too should remember what can be termed Pakistan’s 9/11.

“If the government builds a museum, we will like to shift this memorial there,” said a PILER representative.

At least 285 workers were killed and many others were injured after a fire broke out at Ali Enterprises garments factory, dubbed the Baldia factory for its location in Baldia Town, on September 11, 2012.

The incident was initially deemed an accident which turned into carnage due to lack of safety measures. However, in February, 2015, it emerged as an alleged act of terrorism.

The case is currently being heard in an anti-terrorism court in Karachi on the preamble that the fire was an act of arson caused by extortionists belonging to the then powerful political party of the city, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).