Pakistan, April 22 -- Asif Javed's story had not begun at the Lahore High Court, where he drenched himself in petrol and struck a match. It began much earlier: in corporate boardrooms where employee grievances are treated as line items rather than human struggles, in HR departments that view worker rights as a nuisance, and in regulatory offices more invested in appearances than accountability. His crime? Seeking justice after being dismissed from his job.

The giant's subsequent compensation to Javed's family might be presented as a gesture of accountability, but it serves as a chilling reminder that, in Pakistan, far too often, tragedy is often the only catalyst for corporate action. Our track record on labour rights is deeply troubling...