Construction safety lapses put contractors in the crosshairs

As Punjab steps up development work, a dispute is growing over responsibility for construction accidents. While the government is tightening action over alleged safety lapses, contractors say they are often blamed even after projects are completed and handed over. More than 100 construction-related accidents have been reported across Punjab over the past two years, leaving 62 people dead and 37 injured, according to records available to The Express Tribune. Police registered 55 cases and arrested 41 people, while over Rs1.25 billion was provided to affected families through government funds and penalties recovered from construction companies. Lahore and its adjoining areas reported over 20 incidents, followed by Rawalpindi with 11 and Faisalabad with nine. Bahawalpur and Sheikhupura recorded four each, while several other districts reported isolated cases. The Punjab government adopted a zero-tolerance policy on construction safety violations in 2026, with contractors facing fines and possible licence cancellation. Contractors, however, allege they are sometimes pressured to pay families even after projects have been completed and handed over to government departments. Local contractor Mian Muhammad Irfan said his company had completed a road project, passed inspection and received payment before an accident occurred more than a month later. “The incident was reported almost two months after the road had been constructed, yet pressure was put on us to pay additional money,” he said. Irfan said contractors should be held responsible when negligence occurs during construction, but should not face unnecessary police and court proceedings after a project has been formally cleared and handed over. Human rights lawyer Abdullah Malik said safety measures were essential during construction but contractors should not automatically be held responsible for every accident. “Human error is possible, but contractors are being fixed as the responsible party without proper inquiry,” he said, calling for independent investigations before penalties were imposed. If a company is found negligent, he said, it should be penalised according to law rather than being subjected to pressure for payments. President of the Association of Associate Engineers Registered (Punjab Chapter) Numan Tipu said his association had received complaints about accidents on roads where contractors had completed work or left portions unfinished. He said road projects passed through a prescribed process involving inspections and technical clearances before being handed over to government departments. Payments were made after relevant clearances, including from institutions such as the Road Research and Materials Testing Institute, PCSIR and NESPAK, where applicable. “Once a completed road is handed over to the government, its subsequent operation and maintenance become the responsibility of the relevant department,” Tipu said. He alleged that some departmental officials used accident reports and threats of FIRs to pressure contractors into making additional payments, potentially misleading authorities about the actual circumstances of incidents. President of the Lahore Contractors Association Muhammad Asghar Dukhi also alleged that contractors were treated as a source of money following accidents. “Government departments often treat contractors as a source of money,” he said, alleging that companies were threatened with criminal cases and asked to compensate victims’ families. The Punjab government says legal action is aimed at enforcing safety standards, not collecting money from contractors. A spokesperson said a case over the deaths of a mother and daughter in Bhati was disposed of after compensation was paid to the family, while cases would continue to be registered over negligence and loss of life. While authorities support strict enforcement, contractors call for transparent investigations before liability is assigned.