This is the second fatal accident that has occurred in connection with the construction of the Lahore orange line metro project in the the last two months. The project is one of a huge number of major infrastructure projects in Pakistan that is being undertaken with Chinese funding, as part of the ‘China-Pakistan Economic Corridor’, which will link the Gwadar Port in the South of Pakistan all the way to China’s Xinjiang Province.
Mohammad Ishtiaq Virk, General Secretary of BWI-affiliate ACEEU, said that this tragedy should never have occurred. “In its push to get this project completed as fast as possible, the safety of workers and the general public is being ignored”, said Virk.
“We want to see a thorough joint investigation take place with union representatives involved throughout the process, and we have written to the Punjab Government expressing this demand. Yes, Pakistan is in infrastructure deficit, but in no way does that justify the loss of life we have seen on the Lahore orange line project so far. We demand the Punjab Government facilitate union access for all workers on this project, and give workers a more prominent role in managing health and safety matters.”
BWI is paying close attention to developments in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor as part of its campaign to organise workers in Chinese Multinational Companies.