Name: Pakistani construction workers risk their lives
Uploaded: 2025-12-06T15:51:52.143Z
Duration: 2 min 41 s
Description: In Pakistan, videos of construction workers operating in life-threatening conditions are spreading across social media. Men are seen standing on unstable scaffolding, without helmets or harnesses, hanging several meters above the ground.

In Pakistan, videos of construction workers operating in life-threatening conditions are spreading across social media. Men are seen standing on unstable scaffolding, without helmets or harnesses, hanging several meters above the ground.

Karachi

In Karachi, Pakistan, construction is one of the most hazardous industries, with workers frequently operating without essential safety equipment such as helmets, harnesses, or proper footwear. Many laborers, including experienced workers like Mohammad Shakur, perform their duties on high-rise buildings under precarious conditions, resulting in a high rate of workplace injuries.

The sector is dominated by day laborers who lack legal worker status and insurance, making it difficult to claim compensation or organize for better rights. Accidents can have devastating impacts, as seen in the case of Mohammad Ilyas, who became permanently disabled and received minimal compensation, forcing his children to leave school and work to support the family. The lack of regulation and oversight leaves millions of workers at risk in Pakistan's second largest industry.

Pakistani construction workers risk their lives

In Pakistan, construction is among the most dangerous sectors in the country. Workers often operate without any safety measures. Perched dozens of meters high, Mohammad Shakur has worked in this sector for over 10 years. This painter is employed on a day-to-day basis on this construction site. On this day, he is working on the 25th floor of the skyscraper without a helmet, shoes or a safety harness, moving across narrow wooden planks. Accidents are frequent. In Karachi, 26% of construction workers were injured last year. Mohammad Shakur tries to remain extremely careful. Yes, it's frightening, but it's the only job I know. So, if you look down, you can lose your balance because you're working very high up, standing on unstable planks. I avoid looking down and just concentrate on what I'm doing. In a sector dominated by day laborers, accidents leave irreversible consequences. Mohammad Ilyas has been disabled for life after a fall at a construction site. I was working on a construction site at a height like this. I was at the edge, laying down on a plank. I fell. I broke my leg. Now I have a metal rod from my knee up to here. Since his accident, he has been unable to work. He only received 400 euros as compensation. Daily wages are not insured in Pakistan. I've been unemployed for six years. I was the sole breadwinner of the house. My three sons had to leave school and work on construction sites as day laborers. They earn nearly two euros a day and support the family now. Construction workers are among the most vulnerable laborers, often employed by contractors who do not officially register them. They do not have a permanent employer. They do not have a legal worker status. Because of this, protecting their rights or organizing them into unions is extremely difficult under Pakistani law. The law states that a construction worker can only be registered with a factory or a company. Safety remains largely neglected in Pakistan's construction industry, the country's second largest sector, putting millions of workers at daily risk. The country's second largest sector, putting millions of workers at daily risk.

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