Papers by palvasha shahab
Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Rights, 2021
distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to ... more distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this book are included in the book's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the book's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.
Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Rights, 2021
This chapter argues that Pakistan has never had a bona fide system of occupational safety and hea... more This chapter argues that Pakistan has never had a bona fide system of occupational safety and health (OSH) laws, policies, standards or enforcement mechanisms (“OSH infrastructure”). Instead, the country’s present OSH infrastructure remains divorced from workers’ most urgent needs and the country’s institutional capacity—effectively leaving workers without protection. This chapter traces the progress of the fire, delineates violations of OSH law and provides an account of the actions and inactions of various actors involved. In doing so, it highlights the gap between the OSH system’s deficiencies and the fatalities they caused; outlining what measures were legally required to prevent such a tragedy but they were not in place. Then, it explores the geneology of these illegalities and accompanying apathies as it traces the history of Pakistan’s OSH infrastructure back to its origins under British colonial rule and contextualises it with the overarching global (politico-economic) order...
Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Rights, 2021
Adeela Suleman is a globally celebrated artist and sculptor. She was front and centre of the arti... more Adeela Suleman is a globally celebrated artist and sculptor. She was front and centre of the artists’ response to the Ali Enterprises Factory Fire of 2012. Under her leadership, the Vasl Artists’ Association sent out a call for submissions to artists across Pakistan and the overwhelming response was curated in the form of the exhibition titled: ‘Awaaz Baldia Factory Inferno: Artists Respond’ which was hosted by the Arts Council of Pakistan in February 2013. Her monument dedicated to those who lost their lives in the fire was also part of the one year anniversary of the fire has been placed at the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER). She also facilitated several international collaborations and artists intending to engage with the fire. Palvasha Shahab sat down with her to explore her thoughts about the role that art and artists play in the face of calamities and social injustices, her relationship to Karachi and her own response to the fire.
Zehra Khan is a prominent labour activist and journalist who has been working in Karachi, Pakista... more Zehra Khan is a prominent labour activist and journalist who has been working in Karachi, Pakistan, for more than a decade. She is the founder and General Secretary of the Home Based Women Workers Federation of Pakistan (HBWWF). She also works closely with the National Trade Union Federation (NTUF). In this interview, she speaks to Palvasha Shahab about current and future struggles in regards to working conditions in Pakistan.
Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Rights, 2021
Saeeda Khatoon rose as a prominent figure and main voice of the Ali Enterprises Factory Fire Affe... more Saeeda Khatoon rose as a prominent figure and main voice of the Ali Enterprises Factory Fire Affectees Association (AEFFAA). She lost her son in the fire of 11 September 2012 and was one of the four petitioners in the German case against KiK. In this interview, she speaks to Palvasha Shahab about the events unfolding from her perspective as well as strategic decisions and collective organizing in light of the transnational lawsuits she was involved in.
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Papers by palvasha shahab