Baldia factory fire case: Defence counsel cross-examine witnesses

KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court on Thursday held another hearing of the Baldia factory fire case with the defence's counsel completing its cross-examination of the witnesses. 

The blaze, which had erupted at Ali Enterprises in Karachi's Baldia Town on September 11, 2012, had claimed the lives of over 250 labourers.

The prime accused, Abdul Rahman alias Bhola and Zubair alias Charya, were presented during the hearing of the case which was held in the metropolis' central jail.

Another accused in the case, MQM's Rauf Siddiqi, was also present during the trial along with Umar Hassan Qadri and Asrar. 

During the hearing today, the special prosecutor also submitted an application to summon the magistrate in court. 

Earlier in October, Hammad Siddiqui, a prime accused in the case, was arrested from Dubai.

Siddiqui was the former in-charge of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Karachi Tanzeemi Committee.

In Dec 2016, key accused in the Baldia factory fire case, Abdul Rahman alias Bhola, was arrested from Bangkok, Thailand, by the Interpol.

The key suspect behind Pakistan's deadliest industrial fire had confessed that he deliberately set fire to Ali Enterprise on the instructions of MQM leader Hammad Siddiqui.

Bhola had revealed that the MQM leader instructed him to set fire to the factory in the vicinity of Baldia Town Karachi because of non-payment of Rs250 million 'bhatta (protection money)'.

He had claimed the intent behind the arson attack was only to intimidate owners of the factory, and he didn’t anticipate that his act would result in the loss of lives.