Italian Masco/Maxco factory case: from Karachi to Rome (from 2008 to 2012)

In 2008, an Italian journalist, Stefania Maurizi from l'Espresso Magazine, had contacted Mohammad Ali Shah, head of Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF), for assessing the working conditions of workers of/in Maxco (also known as Masco) garment and leather factory in Ibrahim Hyderi Karachi. I was working as communication officer with the PFF. Shah asked me if I could help Stefania to explore what she wants to. I welcomed the challenged and came in contact with Stefania and with the help of PFF staff members met with a number of workers who were living in Ibrahim Hyderi where the PFF was also located. Since I did not know about workers/people of Ibrahim Hyderi working in Masco factory, therefore, I had to seek support from the staff members of the PFF. I conducted interviews, recorded them on the recorder, prepared summary of the interviews and along with the digital recorder sent it to Stefania. The same summary of the interviews mainly tells about the inhuman treatment of the factory administrations towards workers which include discrimination, low wages, sexual harassment, and overwork, no legal contract of the employment and many tactics being used by the factory administration to suck blood of poor workers.

All the communication between Stefania and me took place through emails and mobile. Shah was always kept in the loop and updated about the developments in terms of interviews and else.

At the same time, Stefania was in touch with Sheri NGO in Karachi which I did not know. Sheri staff members had helped Stefania to get pictures related to pollution (I am not very clear though).

After a couple of weeks, Stefania shared the link of her article published in her news magazine (l'Espresso), and soon after that she called me and said that the Italian owner of the factory had filed a libel case against her and the magazine, because owner claimed that all details in the article were false and damaging repute of the company. Stefania asked if I could come over to Rome and appear before the court and testify for the facts that I had sent her. I wholeheartedly and without any fear replied that I will come to any place in the world to share with the court that I had conducted interviews of the Masco factory workers.

Since 2008, Stefania kept in touch with me and Sheri people. On 25 October 2012, I travelled from Geneva (I had come to do some lobbying with permanent missions in Geneva for Pakistan’s UPR on October 30 in the Human Rights Council) to Rome. I was warmly welcomed by Stefania. Upon arrival at the Hotel I came to know that two more persons (they were real sister and brother) of Italian origin were also witness in the case who had worked for about six months in Masco factory in Karachi. They were witness of the horrible things happening with workers in Masco factory. I was surprised but really appreciate their courage and dare to appear before the tribunal and tell what Italian owner did with Pakistani workers.

Finally, on October 26, 2012, two people from Sheri, two Italians and I appeared before a three bench tribunal in Rome and testified about the details that we had sent to Stefania.

On my way back to Geneva on the same day (26th October 2012) at the Rome airport, I thought to write a brief story about Stefania’s struggle to fight against people who were exploiting poor people of Pakistan. Hats off to this lady (Stefania) who wrote about the plight of workers and also to those who agreed to testify before the court in Rome. Of course, all were scared if something might happen to them. Perhaps all were visualizing the scary and threatening situation of witnesses in Pakistan. I hope all will go good with all witnesses in coming days too.

I am not sure about the working conditions in the same factory in these days but the Masco company administration who had also appeared in the same court, shared that now there is no inhuman treatment with workers, minimum wage is given, no overwork, no sexual harassment. There were some problems because of arson took place in the factory after the murder of Benazir Bhutto- ex prime minister of Pakistan. I wish and pray that the claims made by the Masco company administration in the court are true, and something good is happening with poor workers of my rich country which is being exploited by external and internal people.

For feedback please write me at: abdullahkhoso[]hotmail.com