Baldia Factory fire case: SHC verdict on appeals on Sept 11

KARACHI: A division bench of the Sindh High Court (SHC) will announce its decision on September 11 over appeals of five convicts against sentences, including two MQM workers in the Baldia factory fire case, ARY News reported.

The bench had reserved verdict on appeals last week after completion of arguments by sides.

An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) had handed down verdict on September 22, 2020, sentencing Zubair aka Chariya and Abdul Rehman aka Bhola to death for their role in the deaths of over 260 people on September 11, 2012, Baldia factory fire.

The factory’s four employees – Shahrukh, Fazal Ahmed, Arshad Mehmood and Ali Mohammad – were found guilty of aiding the convicts in carrying out the arson attack that resulted in the deaths of 264 people and injuries to 60 others and had awarded life term to them.

However, the court had exonerated MQM leader Rauf Siddiqui, the then-provincial minister for commerce and industries, and three others from all charges for want of evidence.

A bench of the high court had admitted appeals of five convicts for hearing, challenging their sentences in the factory fire case.

The court has fixed Sept. 11 date for announcement of verdict on appeals of the convicts, the same fateful date in 2012 when the gruesome incident took place.