SHC upholds death sentence to two MQM workers in Baldia Factory Fire Case

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has rejected the appeals of convicts challenging their sentences and has upheld the death sentence for two of the accused in the Baldia factory fire case.

A two-member bench of the SHC had previously reserved its verdict on the appeals following the completion of arguments by both sides.

In the verdict announcement Monday, the court declined the bail pleas of two Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) workers, Rahman Bhola and Zubair Charia, reaffirming their death sentences.

The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) had initially delivered its verdict on September 22, 2020, sentencing Zubair, also known as Chariya, and Abdul Rehman, aka Bhola, to death for their involvement in the tragic Baldia factory fire on September 11, 2012, which claimed the lives of over 260 individuals.

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The court did, however, accept the appeals of four factory employees, Shahrukh, Fazal Ahmed, Arshad Mehmood, and Ali Mohammad, who were found guilty of assisting the convicts in carrying out the arson attack and were sentenced to life imprisonment.

Furthermore, the court dismissed the government’s appeals challenging the acquittal of MQM leader Rauf Siddiqui and three others.

Sindh High Court acquitted the other four individuals accused in the case.

The tragedy in question occurred on September 11, 2012, when a devastating fire erupted in a garment factory in Baldia Town, resulting in the deaths of 259 people. According to the police investigation, the factory was set ablaze due to disputes related to extortion payments.