KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday rejected the appeals of MQM’s Rehman Bhola and Zubair Chariya against the death sentences in the Baldia factory fire case.
Announcing its decision on the convicts’ appeals against the sentences, the High Court panel declared the life sentences of four factory workers, Shahrukh, Fazal Ahmed, Arshad Mehmood and Ali Mohammad, null and void.
The court acquitted MQM leader Rauf Siddiqui, the then provincial minister for commerce and industry, Abdul Sattar, Iqbal Adeeb Khanum and Umar Hassan of the charges for lack of evidence.
The court rejected the government’s appeal against the acquittal of the four defendants.
The bench reserved its verdict on the appeal on August 29 after concluding the arguments of the parties.
On 22 September 2020, the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) delivered a verdict sentencing Zubair aka Chariya and Abdul Rehman aka Bhola to death for their role in the deaths of over 260 people on 11 September 2012 in a deadly factory fire in Baldia Town, Karachi.
The ATC awarded life imprisonment to four factory workers – Shahrukh, Fazal Ahmed, Arshad Mehmood and Ali Mohammad for their role in the incident. Accused Fazal Ahmed died during imprisonment.
The fatal factory fire on September 11, 2012 killed 264 people and injured over 300 people.
The Supreme Court has allowed the appeal of five convicts to be heard, challenging their sentences in the factory fire case.
According to the JIT investigation, the MQM worker said that in August 2012, a ‘well-known party high official’ requested Rs200 million as bhatta (extortion money) through his frontman from Ali Enterprises, the factory’s owners.
When the fire broke out, between 300 and 400 workers were inside the factory. Officials stated that all of the factory’s exit doors were locked and that many of the factory’s windows were covered with iron bars, making it difficult for workers to escape at the time. Many others perished as a result of asphyxia.
