Pakistan Factory Workers Face Deadly Heat as Global Brands Fail Safety Pledges
Garment workers in Pakistan endure dangerous, sweltering factory conditions while global brands' safety promises remain unfulfilled. Read the investigation.
POLICY WIRE — Karachi, Pakistan — Extreme heat, exacerbated by the ongoing climate crisis, is creating life-threatening environments for garment workers across Pakistan. Despite public commitments from international retailers to ensure workplace safety, labor advocates and industry experts report that these pledges have largely failed to protect employees from dangerous temperatures.
Workers at facilities producing goods for major global brands described harrowing conditions, including sweltering rooms filled with heat-radiating machinery and inadequate ventilation. Many employees reported suffering from fainting spells, respiratory distress, and chronic health issues, often facing wage deductions when heat-related illnesses forced them to miss their shifts.
While companies like Inditex and Mango have cited updated codes of conduct and participation in safety initiatives, local advocates argue that enforcement remains critically absent. As temperatures continue to climb, the gap between corporate safety promises and the reality on the factory floor leaves thousands of workers vulnerable to the escalating risks of heat stress.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
