Management orders 90-day study of factories as teams probe Malikpur blast
FAISALABAD:
The divisional administration has ordered a thorough inspection of all industrial units and factories of Faisalabad Division to assess the condition and capacity of boilers and pressure vessels, following last week’s deadly factory explosion in Malikpur area.
The decision was taken during a high-level meeting chaired by Commissioner Raja Jahangir Anwar, attended by officials from the industry, labour, civil defense and environment departments, along with representatives of private inspection companies.
Four private companies have been given 90 days to complete inspections, including PAkGazette-tagging of each industrial unit and checking the availability of mandatory No Objection Certificates (NOC).
The commissioner noted that the division is home to more than 1,200 boilers and more than 6,000 pressure vessels, many of which may be obsolete or operating without proper certification. He warned that expired or unmaintained equipment poses a serious risk of explosions and possible loss of life.
An enforcement committee has been formed to ensure compliance.
Industrial units violating safety norms or lacking valid NOCs will be sealed without exception.
The Faisalabad Industrial Estate Development and Management Company (FIEDMC) has been directed to inspect all units under its jurisdiction and submit a detailed report within 30 days, with “zero tolerance” for negligence.
The stepped-up security drive follows the catastrophic steamboat explosion at a glue factory in Malikpur last Friday, which killed 21 people, including seven members of a family, and injured at least seven others.
The explosion destroyed four nearby industrial units and nine houses.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has sought an urgent report on the incident. Subsequently, Commissioner Anwar formed a five-member inquiry committee while Deputy Commissioner Capt.
Nadeem Nasir created a separate ten-member panel to identify those responsible.
