Baldia factory fire investigation: Past deadline, JIT has not even decided on composition yet
The new JIT was formed on the orders of the PM.
The Baldia factory fire claimed over 250 lives on September 11, 2012. PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI:
The provincial government had constituted a new Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to investigate the 2012 Baldia Town factory fire incident on the orders of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The latter had called for a reinvestigation during the apex committee meeting held at the Governor House in Karachi last month.
The newly-formed JIT was tasked to complete its investigations and present a report within 30 days. The deadline may have already passed but not only has the JIT not started investigations, even its composition has not been finalised yet.
In the latest development, the police department has removed the investigation officer of the case, Inspector Jahanzaib of the SITE-B Section police station, from the new JIT. He had been investigating the case from day one. He has been replaced by SP Sajid Sadozai.
The new JIT was commissioned by the prime minister as the earlier report, prepared and submitted to the Sindh High Court by an earlier JIT, had blamed the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) for the incident. The party had, however, denied any involvement and termed the charges ‘fictitious’ and ‘biased’. It had also demanded a reinvestigation of the incident.
Confusion reigns
Initially, the Sindh Police Crime branch AIG Khadim Hussain Bhatti was appointed the chief of the new JIT, which was to reinvestigate the incident as well as analyse the report of the previous JIT before submitting its report to the federal government within 30 days. AIG Bhatti was replaced by Rapid Response Force chief DIG Aftab Pathan in the middle of March, just before the deadline finished. The name of District East police chief Munir Shaikh was also added to the JIT at the same time.
DIG Pathan, however, lasted only a week and the Sindh IG named Criminal Investigation Agency chief DIG Sultan Khawaja as the new JIT chief. DIG Khawaja’s name had earlier been nominated by the Sindh IG, but he and Special Investigation Unit chief SP Farooq Awan had refused to be part of the new JIT, saying they were ‘satisfied with the police investigations in 2012’.
Third time lucky?
The Baldia factory fire incident is now being investigated for the third time. The first investigation team, headed by DIG Khawaja, had not found anything related to extortion. Later, a JIT was formed which found that the factory was set on fire by MQM workers over refusal to pay extortion money. The report had quoted an arrested MQM worker, Rizwan Qureshi, who had revealed the party’s link with the incident. Qureshi was released on bail and has been missing since then.
“AIG Bhatti was replaced as he was being investigated by the Federal Investigation Agency for several cases,” a source privy to the matter told The Express Tribune. “Meanwhile DIG Pathan was replaced as he did not want to be part of the new JIT while DIG Khawaja only assented to become the JIT chief after a senior military officer urged him to do so.
The new JIT will now be headed by DIG Khawaja and will comprise Crimes DIG Mushtaq Maher, DIG Munir Shaikh and SP Sajid Sadozai as well as representatives of the Rangers, FIA, Intelligence Bureau (IB), Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI).
“Now that the JIT’s composition has been finalised, it has 30 days to complete its investigation,” explained the source. “The delay was also on the part of the ISI and MI representatives.”
The team will now examine, analyse and verify all the facts in the case and also record the statements of all the people involved. It is also expected to make more arrests. The source added that one of the accused, identified as Shakeel, who was arrested by the Preedy police last week, will as well be interrogated.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 30th, 2015.
The provincial government had constituted a new Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to investigate the 2012 Baldia Town factory fire incident on the orders of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The latter had called for a reinvestigation during the apex committee meeting held at the Governor House in Karachi last month.
The newly-formed JIT was tasked to complete its investigations and present a report within 30 days. The deadline may have already passed but not only has the JIT not started investigations, even its composition has not been finalised yet.
In the latest development, the police department has removed the investigation officer of the case, Inspector Jahanzaib of the SITE-B Section police station, from the new JIT. He had been investigating the case from day one. He has been replaced by SP Sajid Sadozai.
The new JIT was commissioned by the prime minister as the earlier report, prepared and submitted to the Sindh High Court by an earlier JIT, had blamed the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) for the incident. The party had, however, denied any involvement and termed the charges ‘fictitious’ and ‘biased’. It had also demanded a reinvestigation of the incident.
Confusion reigns
Initially, the Sindh Police Crime branch AIG Khadim Hussain Bhatti was appointed the chief of the new JIT, which was to reinvestigate the incident as well as analyse the report of the previous JIT before submitting its report to the federal government within 30 days. AIG Bhatti was replaced by Rapid Response Force chief DIG Aftab Pathan in the middle of March, just before the deadline finished. The name of District East police chief Munir Shaikh was also added to the JIT at the same time.
DIG Pathan, however, lasted only a week and the Sindh IG named Criminal Investigation Agency chief DIG Sultan Khawaja as the new JIT chief. DIG Khawaja’s name had earlier been nominated by the Sindh IG, but he and Special Investigation Unit chief SP Farooq Awan had refused to be part of the new JIT, saying they were ‘satisfied with the police investigations in 2012’.
Third time lucky?
The Baldia factory fire incident is now being investigated for the third time. The first investigation team, headed by DIG Khawaja, had not found anything related to extortion. Later, a JIT was formed which found that the factory was set on fire by MQM workers over refusal to pay extortion money. The report had quoted an arrested MQM worker, Rizwan Qureshi, who had revealed the party’s link with the incident. Qureshi was released on bail and has been missing since then.
“AIG Bhatti was replaced as he was being investigated by the Federal Investigation Agency for several cases,” a source privy to the matter told The Express Tribune. “Meanwhile DIG Pathan was replaced as he did not want to be part of the new JIT while DIG Khawaja only assented to become the JIT chief after a senior military officer urged him to do so.
The new JIT will now be headed by DIG Khawaja and will comprise Crimes DIG Mushtaq Maher, DIG Munir Shaikh and SP Sajid Sadozai as well as representatives of the Rangers, FIA, Intelligence Bureau (IB), Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI).
“Now that the JIT’s composition has been finalised, it has 30 days to complete its investigation,” explained the source. “The delay was also on the part of the ISI and MI representatives.”
The team will now examine, analyse and verify all the facts in the case and also record the statements of all the people involved. It is also expected to make more arrests. The source added that one of the accused, identified as Shakeel, who was arrested by the Preedy police last week, will as well be interrogated.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 30th, 2015.