ATC reserves verdict in Baldia factory fire tragedy case

KARACHI: An Anti-terrorism court in Karachi on Wednesday reserved the verdict in Baldia factory fire tragedy case after arguments from both sides concluded today, ARY NEWS reported.

The court remarked that a verdict would be announced in the case if no new arguments are presented before the court and adjourned the proceedings for September 17.

The prosecution has submitted key evidence in the case against the accused as Zubair aka Chariya and Rehman aka Bhola and others were presented before the ATC today.

It is pertinent to mention here that on July 05, the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) in its conclusive report stated that the Baldia Town factory inferno incident was ‘a terrorism act’, rejecting it as an accident where more than 250 people had been burnt alive on September 11 – 2012 in Karachi.

ARY News acquired the investigation report of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) over Baldia Town factory inferno incident which is being declared as one of Pakistan’s worst industrial disasters.

The report was signed by officers of law enforcement institutions who have contributed in the investigation of the factory fire case.

The investigators revealed in the 27-page report that the factory had been torched by assailants over non-payment of Rs200 million as extortion money.

They also sought to provide protection to the witnesses of the incident. It emerged that Hammad Siddiqui and Rehman Bhola was directly involved in the terrorism incident which was previously dealt with a non-professional manner.

The JIT members found out that many elements attempted internally and externally influence the investigation process in order to benefit the people behind the carnage.