Witness reveals MQM conflict with Baldia factory owners

Says the accused met factory owners in July 2012, a few months before the fire incident

KARACHI: Another eyewitness of the Baldia factory fire incident came before the special anti-terrorism court on Wednesday and said that Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) party was in conflict with the factory owners over extortion when the incident occurred.

The eyewitness, who is the brother of MQM's former sector in-charge, got his statement recorded at the hearing held at Karachi Central Jail.

The eyewitness said accused Abdul Rehman alias Bhola had replaced his brother as MQM sector in-charge of Baldia Town. Bhola met the factory owners in July 2012, a few months before the fire incident.

Target killers sentenced

A special anti-terrorism court awarded MQM worker Ishtiaq life imprisonment and his accomplice Abu Irfan alias Irfi 10 years of rigorous imprisonment in the target killing of DSP Nawaz Ranjha and his security guard.

The court acquitted four other co-accused namely Shafiq, Zakir Hussain, Khwaja Faisal and Shakir Shah due to lack of evidence.

DSP Nawaz Ranjha's car was targeted in August 2010, in which he and his security guard were killed.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 4^th, 2019.