KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) rejected appeals against death sentence of accused Abdul Rahman Bhola and Zubair Charya in Baldia factory tragedy case.

Sindh High Court announced reserved verdict on appeals against punishing perpetrators of Baldia factory tragedy. Court rejected appeals of Bhola and Charya and upheld death sentence.

Government’s appeal against acquittal of former provincial minister Rauf Siddiqui, Abdul Sattar, Iqbal Adeeb Khanum and Umar Hassan was rejected. Court accepted appeals of four accused Shahrukh, Fazal, Arshad Mehmood and Ali Muhammad who were sentenced to life imprisonment.

MQM municipal sector in-charge Zubair Charya, Rehman Bhola, Ali Muhammad, Fazal Muhammad, Shahrukh and Arshad Mehmood had filed appeals against sentence.

Defence counsel took stand that facts had been ignored while announcing decision by anti-terrorism court. It should be noted that decision of Baldia factory tragedy case was pronounced on September 22, 2020 after eight years.

Anti-Terrorism Court awarded death sentence to MQM secretor-in-charge Rehman Bhola and Zubair Charya, while MQM leaders Rauf Siddiqui, Adeeb Khanum, Ali Hasan Qadri and Abdul Sattar were acquitted.

Court sentenced four accused Arshad Mehmood, Fazal, Shahrukh and Ali Ahmed for crime of facilitation. It should be noted that on September 11, 2012, 259 people died due to fire in Baldia Town factory.

Published in The Daily National Courier, September, 12 2023

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