Baldia factory fire case: Key eyewitness identifies MQM worker

[caption id="attachment_458369" align="alignnone" width="1024"] KARACHI: An important development was witnessed in Baldia factory fire case, as a key eyewitness, who had gone into hiding fearing for life, appeared before the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) and recorded his statement, here on Tuesday.[/caption]

Special public prosecutor Sajjid Mehboob Shaikh produced the important eyewitness of the case before the court.  The eyewitness recorded his statement and testified before the court that a Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) worker Zubair Charya was present at the Baldia factory when it was being set on fire.

Due to the security concerns, the name of witness was not disclosed. The eyewitness said that before attempting the crime, Charya along with his other friends, consumed hashish in factory godown’s washroom. He said the accused got some plastic bags containing something from his pockets and tossed them over cloths present in the industrial unit’s godown.

He did the same thing on to the second floor.  He said Zubair Charya was smiling as the people were burning in the fire. ‘’ I can also recognize other friends of Zubair Charya,’’ he claimed.

The counsel of the accused asked from the witness that why he is recording his statement after such long time? The witness told the court that he had gone to Punjab as he feared for life. The court issued notice to judicial magistrate for recording of statements on next hearing.

The hearing was adjourned till April 3.

At least 285 workers were killed and many others were injured after a fire broke out at the factory, dubbed Ali Enterprises located in Baldia Town Karachi, on September 11, 2012.

Accused Abdul Rehman alias Bhola, a former sector-in-charge of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), had earlier confessed to the crime before investigators.

In his confessional statement, Bhola stated that he with Zubair, alias Charya, set the factory ablaze on the instructions of then chief of the MQM organizing committee Hammad Siddiqui after the factory owners declined to pay protection money.