Islamabad [Pakistan], July 17 (ANI): Pakistan is facing criticism over the safety and treatment of sanitation workers after a series of fatal workplace incidents exposed the hazardous conditions under which they continue to work. Amnesty International also slammed Islamabad for its continued failure to eliminate hazardous manual sewer-cleaning practices.
In posts shared on X, Amnesty International stated that on July 4, two sanitation workers died and another was critically injured after inhaling toxic gases while cleaning a manhole in Chishtian, Punjab. The organisation described the incident as the latest in a string of preventable tragedies involving workers undertaking dangerous sewer-cleaning operations without adequate safety equipment or protection.
Citing media reports, Amnesty International said that at least 16 sanitation workers have died since April 2026 in incidents linked to suffocation and exposure to toxic fumes while manually cleaning sewers. The rights group argued that these deaths highlight the continued failure to eliminate hazardous manual sewer-cleaning practices and ensure safe working conditions.
The organisation also pointed to other recent incidents reflecting the risks faced by sanitation workers beyond sewer maintenance. On June 1, a sanitation worker was reportedly crushed to death while sweeping a road. In another case, a sanitation worker in Gujranwala allegedly set himself on fire after facing unpaid wages and unlawful salary deductions. He later succumbed to his injuries on June 28. According to reports, the worker had repeatedly raised concerns over inadequate wages before his death.
Amnesty International noted that these incidents come exactly one year after it, in collaboration with the Centre for Law and Justice, released a report documenting widespread discrimination and exploitation faced by the sanitation workers in Pakistan.
According to the report, sanitation workers continue to experience entrenched caste- and religion-based discrimination, unsafe working environments, low wages, insecure employment, and a lack of meaningful labour protections. The rights organisation urged Pakistani authorities to take immediate steps to improve workplace safety. (ANI)
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