Baldia factory fire: Hearing adjourned due to incomplete statements

Advocate for factory employees fails to appear

KARACHI: A special anti-terrorism court (ATC) adjourned on Thursday the hearing of the Baldia factory fire case till December 21 because the statements of the accused could not be completed.

While Sajid Mehboob Shaikh, the special public prosecutor, and other counsels appeared at the hearing being held at Central Jail Karachi, the counsels for four factory employees, Shahid, failed to appear.

According to Shaikh, the statements of 400 witnesses, including the investigation officer and the factory owners, have been recorded.

Lawyers summoned in murder case

An ATC directed on Thursday the defendants' lawyers to ensure their presence at the next hearing of a case regarding the murders of two Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) workers.

'Six years after Baldia factory fire, working conditions still not changed'

The counsels of the accused did not appear before the court and the hearing was adjourned until December 19 without any proceedings.

According to the police, nine people have been arrested for allegedly attacking a PSP town office on December 23, 2018. PSP worker Naeem and union council in-charge Azhar alias Saiyan died in the attack, while two other party members were injured.

The court has already issued arrest warrants for Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain and six others, including MQM London's Asif Hasnain and Bisma Naz. The case challan has been submitted by the investigation officer.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 6^th, 2019.