SHC admits plea of convicts against ATC's verdict in Baldia Factory fire case

(Karachi) The Sindh High Court (SHC) has admitted appeals of five convicts, including two MQM workers, for hearing in Baldia Factory fire case, media reported on Monday.

The convicts have challenged their sentences in the said case. The convicts who filed the appeals are Zubair Charya, Abdul Rehman Bhola, Fazal Ahmed, Hakeem and Arshad Mahmood. The appellants stated in their pleas that the ATC ignored key evidence while deciding the case.

The SHC's two-member bench issued notice to the Prosecutor General and sought the complete record of Baldia factory case from the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC).

Earlier on September 22, ATC had awarded death penalty to Zubair aka Chariya and Abdul Rehman aka Bhola for finding them guilty for the deaths of over 260 people in the 2012 Baldia factory fire.

The convicts were sentenced on eleven counts, handing each of the death sentences on two counts, life sentences on four counts, 10-year prison term on two counts as well as imprisonment of seven, three and two years on three counts.

In their defence, both Zubair and Rehman blamed the factory owners for the fire. They told the court that the factory doors were closed when the fire broke out on the orders of the owners.