Hundreds of workers protested yesterday at the Gadani shipbreaking site in Pakistan, demanding firm action be taken to improve conditions at one of the most dangerous shipping locations in the world.
Pakistan’s main shipbreaking area suffered another blaze inside a beached tanker, which injured seven workers on Sunday.
Officials had only recently readmitted tankers to be scrapped following a spate of accidents in Gadani, most notably a massive fire two years ago, which started from a welder’s spark, and killed 23 people.
Accidents at Gadani have continued ever since, with three fires reported in the last two months alone. Government officials have vowed to improve conditions but there has been no sign of safety getting better.
“Health and safety is a right, not a privilege,” one of the workers at yesterday’s union-organised protest shouted.
Gadani ship-breaking protest
Shipbreaking workers Union & the NTUF jointly organize protest rally in Gadani today against increase in fire accident at ships.
Health & safety is right, not privilege#NasirMansoor #NTUFPakistan #zehrakhan pic.twitter.com/tvoqGH6bKg
— Zehra (@zehra1akhan) October 16, 2018
