Factory fire case: Court orders to proceed action to declare KDA engineer 'PO'

KARACHI: The court has ordered to begin an action for declaring an accused Karachi Development Authority (KDA) executive engineer Zahid Hussain a proclaimed offender in Korangi factory fire case, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

The judicial magistrate East conducted the hearing of Korangi’s Mehran Town factory fire case today.

After the nominated KDA executive engineer’s no-show, the local court directed concerned authorities to begin proceedings for declaring Zahid Hussain a proclaimed offender in the case. Zahid Hussain has not appeared before the court despite being summoned nor has he secured bail in the case.

The court also directed police to submit a report by December 13.

Other accused including the factory owner had secured bail in the factory fire case.

On November 22, the owner of the house had refused to pay compensation to the heirs of the deceased labourers who lost their lives in the Korangi factory fire incident.

READ: COURT POSTPONES VERDICT ON BAIL PLEAS OF KORANGI FACTORY OWNER, OTHERS

House owner named Tariq Faisal and the factory owner named Ali Hassan Mahta had earlier agreed to pay compensation to the heirs of the deceased labourers. Later, the house owner had reportedly refused to pay the compensation.

60 per cent of the amount was to be paid by the factory owner and 40% by the house owner, where the factory was built, but now the factory owner will pay the compensation after refusal of the house owner.

Mahta was going to hand over cheque of Rs1 million to the heirs today, whereas, the rest of the amount will be paid in the three years instalment.

In August, at least 16 labourers had burnt to death as a blaze erupted in a chemical factory located in Korangi’s Mehran Town of the port city.

The labourers working for the factory had said that there was only one way to enter or exit the building and the blaze made it impossible to reach it.