Baldia factory fire still haunts families

As the flames soared, ashen-faced Shafiq Ahmed stood stunned, witnessing the tragedy unfold before his eyes. Among those trapped in the unstoppable blaze swallowing the entire building of a garment factory, Ali Enterprises, was his brother.

"It was September 9, 2012, Raees' 27th birthday. He had looked forward to celebrating it in the evening upon returning from work," Shafiq told The Express Tribune.

Raees Ahmed, Shafiq's deceased brother, used to live with the rest of his family in Gujrat Colony. He had been married just four months when the tragedy claimed his life. He had lost his parents at a very young age and was brought up by his elder brothers.

"I saw the inferno and the realisation dawned that my brother was in there," he said, his voice shaking. "I can never forget the scene and each year, as September 11 arrives, old wounds are reopened."

As Shafiq relived the nightmare this year, he narrated that Raees had come home for lunch that fateful day, before going back to work.

News of the blaze spread like wildfire and Shafiq, with other relatives, rushed to the site, hoping against hope that Raees would be safe and sound, returning to celebrate his birthday at home.

"By the time we reached the factory, everything was gone," he recalled.

Shafiq had returned to the site the very next day, but couldn't stay there for long - the heat was too much to bear. Since then, even passing by the site has been difficult for him.

The same rings true for the family of Imran Khan, who was killed in the inferno at the age of 32 years.

He was a machine operator at Ali Enterprises and like Raees, had gone home for lunch on the unfortunate day before leaving again for work.

His brother, Asif Khan told The Express Tribune, "Imran had gone to the factory to collect his wage but was killed in the fire."

It has been eight long years since then, but several despairing families, like those of Raees and Imran, still await closure.

With as many as 260 people burnt alive in the inferno, there were cries for justice - as well as allegations of the factory being ablaze deliberately after the owners refused to pay extortion money.

The factory owners have held the Muttahida Qaumi Movement responsible for the fire killings, with three party members, Rauf Siddiqui, Rehman Bhola and Zubair Charya, indicted in the case in February 2017.

So far, 400 witnesses have testified against the accused before an anti-terrorism court (ATC). The government has paid compensation to the victims' families.

But the grieving families have yet to receive justice.

They don't have high hopes, but with bated breath, they dread the arrival of September 17, when the ATC is expected to announce the verdict.

If the accused are not punished, it will be yet another blow to the helpless families.

"The government may take the compensation back. We want our brother to come home," said Shafiq, in tears. "Words fail to describe my pain."

The fact that it was impossible for his wish to come true remained unsaid.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 11^th, 2020.