KARACHI: Nine years after a deadliest industrial blaze in Pakistan’s history, the pursuit of justice languishes as the Sindh High Court on Monday took to task the prosecution for failing to file appeals against prime suspects roaming scot-free.
Over 260 workers were burnt alive when Ali Enterprises, a multi-storey garment factory in Baldia Town neighbourhood of Karachi, was set on fire on September 11, 2012.
A subsequent investigation that ran for eight years found out Muttahida Qaumi Movement workers set the factory on fire because the owner had refused to give in to extortion demands.
One of the owners of the factory had testified the party had asked him to pay Rs250 million or give a 50 percent share in his business.
In September last, an anti-terrorism court in Karachi sentenced two MQM workers — Zubair aka Charya and Abdul Rehman aka Bhola — to death.
During the hearing on Monday, Justice Karim Khan Agha wondered why the bigwigs were simply let go, asking why the state did not file any appeal against the acquittal of Rauf Siddiqui, MQM leader and provincial minister for commerce and industries at the time, and other suspects.
“It seems as if the state is involved in safeguarding the big fish,” the judge said. “As if the motive is to help the real culprit escape the justice.”
There will be legal repercussions for those not filing appeals against the influential people and suspects fleeing justice, the judge said.
