KARACHI: In an important development pertaining to the Baldia factory fire case, an Anti-Terrorism Court on Wednesday indicted Muttahida Quami Movement-Pakistan’s (MQM-P), Rauf Siddiqui and other suspects.
According to the details, the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) indicted Rauf Siddiqui, Rehman Bhola, Zubair Chariya and other suspects on the charges of setting fire to the factory with chemicals.
All suspects in the case pleaded not guilty to the charges. The ATC court has summoned all suspects on February 17 for the hearing.
It has charged the suspects with being involved in the murder of 260 people who died as a result of the Ali Enterprises factory burning down. Additionally, Rauf Siddiqui has also been charged with settling the matter by receiving Rs 50 million.
September 11, 2012, was an ill-fated day for 260 workers of the Ali Enterprises’ factory where they were burnt to death due to the fire that was set on purpose.
Initially, attempts were made to divert attention away from the case by claiming that the fire was caused as a result of an accident. However, a Joint Investigation Committee (JIT) revealed that the fire was, in fact, a case of arson.
Several suspects linked with MQM were arrested on charges of being involved in the case after provisions of terrorism were included in the Baldia factory fire case.
The prime suspect in the case, Hammad Siddiqui, who had run off and was caught by the Interpol from UAE in October 2017 has also been declared an absconder in the country’s deadliest conflagration case.
