Baldia factory fire was an act of arson, says JIT report

Judge adjourns hearing till March 22, directs IO to submit a reply regarding the fate of the case by the next hearing

KARACHI: The Baldia Town factory fire was an act of arson, the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) said on Saturday.

According to a report submitted by police officials before the trial court, some members of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) including Hammad Siddiqui, Farooq Saleem and six others were allegedly suspects behind the country's deadliest fire.



Over 250 workers perished inside the locked premises of Ali Enterprises in Baldia on September 11, 2012.

SP Sajid Amir Sudozai, who is the in-charge of the joint investigation team formed in March last year, informed the session judge Maqbool Memon that concerned authorities are still waiting for a response from the home department.

"The case may, with the consent of authorities, be re-registered under the anti-terrorism law since the elements of extortion and arson have been revealed during the course of inquiry," the investigation officer (IO) argued.

The court was further told that MQM's former Karachi Tanzeemi Committee in-charge, Hammad Siddiqui has allegedly demanded Rs200 million from factory owners as protection money.



The judge adjourned the hearing till March 22 directing the IO to submit a concrete reply regarding the fate of the case by the next hearing.