Karachi court defers Baldia factory fire verdict to Sept 22
September 17, 2020 02:16 PM
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Karachi on Thursday said that the verdict in Baldia factory tragedy will be announced on September 22, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
The ATC, which was due to announce the verdict on Thursday, on the request of accused Ali Hassan Qadri Adib and Dr Abdul Sattar deferred the announcement of the verdict of Baldia tragedy case till September 22.
The accused said they had a business deal with the factory owners and the cash was transferred to them through the bank. Earlier the accused pleaded they needed some time to present the original record of receiving Rs50 million from the factory owners to settle the matter.
More than 260 workers were burnt alive in the multi-storey building of the Ali Enterprises garment factory on Sept 11, 2012. The factory owners blamed the MQM for the tragedy.
On 13 January this year, the ATC recorded statements of six accused persons, including Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Rauf Siddiqui, Abdul Rehman alias Bhola and Zubair alias Chiriya, in the Baldia factory fire case.
Nine accused — including then provincial minister for commerce and industries Rauf Siddiqui, then MQM sector-in-charge Abdul Rehman alias Bhola; Zubair alias Chiriya — and others have been charged in February 2017 with allegedly setting ablaze the industrial unit with the help of its four gatekeepers — Shahrukh, Fazal Ahmed, Arshad Mehmood and Ali Mohammad.