Faisalabad: A glue factory explosion at a manufacturing unit in Faisalabad’s Malikpur area killed 20 people, including seven members of a single family, and injured seven others early Friday morning, triggering widespread outrage over industrial safety failures.
The powerful blast, believed to have been caused by a gas leak in a factory steamer, ripped through Crystal Chemical Factory before engulfing four adjacent industrial units and nine nearby houses. Victims ranged from a one-year-old child to a 62-year-old man, rescue officials said.
Emergency responders shifted the dead and injured, including three in critical condition, to the burn unit of the Allied Hospital. Police forensic teams later combed through the wreckage to collect evidence, while the factory owner, Qaiser Chughtai, and his administrative staff reportedly went into hiding shortly after the incident.
Inquiry ordered by CM
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif expressed deep grief over the tragedy and extended condolences to the bereaved families. She sought a detailed report from Commissioner Raja Jahangir Anwar, who subsequently formed a five-member inquiry committee to determine the cause of the explosion and fix responsibility.
The blast caused extensive structural damage, collapsing the roofs of multiple factories and houses in Shahab Town and leaving residents in shock.
The explosion at the Crystal Chemical Factory also destroyed four neighbouring industrial units and nine houses in the Malikpur locality of Faisalabad.https://t.co/hLMQmO1etu
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) November 22, 2025
Labour leaders blame govt negligence
Labour rights organisations strongly condemned the incident, accusing the government of failing to enforce industrial safety regulations. In separate statements, National Trade Union Federation Secretary-General Nasir Mansoor, Labour Qaumi Movement Chairman Baba Latif Ansari, and Haqooq-i-Khalq Party Chief Farooq Tariq held the authorities responsible for allowing unsafe working conditions to persist.
They said repeated negligence by factory owners — and the government’s inability to ensure compliance with safety laws — had put workers and nearby residents at constant risk.
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Owner, staff arrested; case registered under ATA
Police later arrested factory owner Qaiser Chughtai and registered a case against him and several others under the Anti-Terrorism Act, Pakistan Penal Code, and Explosive Substances Act. The FIR, lodged by Sub-Inspector Ehtesham Abbas, nominated Chughtai, factory manager Bilal Ali Imran, and six others.
Police also detained manager Bilal, cook Khalid, and workers Zain and Atta Muhammad.
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According to the FIR, residents had repeatedly warned factory management about the unsafe storage of hazardous chemicals inside the factory. Despite the warnings, the management allegedly continued storing flammable materials without adhering to safety protocols.
Victims identified
Police confirmed that 20 people died, most of whom have been identified.
Among them were seven members of Shafiq’s family — including his wife, son, and four grandchildren. Electrical engineer Ashiq Hussain and his three sons also died when their home’s roof caved in. Rashid’s wife and three children, aged between one and four years, lost their lives as well. Two brothers from a nearby embroidery factory and a factory worker named Fazal were also among the dead.
With investigations underway and grieving families demanding accountability, the tragedy has once again spotlighted Pakistan’s chronic industrial safety deficiencies — and the human cost of regulatory lapses.
