Labour unions and families affected by the Baldia Town factory fire on Sunday called for a fresh investigation into the case, saying the recent Supreme Court ruling has strengthened their demand for accountability.
National Trade Union Federation Pakistan General Secretary Nasir Mansoor and Pakistan Workers Federation Senior Vice President Zehra Khan made the demand during a joint press conference at the Karachi Press Club. Several victims’ family members also attended the event.
The speakers said the Supreme Court’s recent observations supported their long-standing position that factory owners and state institutions should be held responsible for the tragedy that killed more than 250 workers.
They referred to the Supreme Court’s June 10 verdict, which cleared Abdul Rehman alias Bhola and Zubair alias Chariya in the Baldia factory fire case. The court overturned the death sentences previously awarded by a trial court and upheld by the Sindh High Court.
A three-member bench led by Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan accepted the appeals and ruled that prosecutors had failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt. The court said the accused deserved the benefit of the doubt based on the available evidence and legal shortcomings in the case.
One of Pakistan’s worst industrial disasters took place on September 11, 2012, when a fire broke out at a garment factory in Karachi’s Baldia Town area. The blaze killed 259 people and injured many others. Authorities had accused the two men of involvement in arson and extortion linked to the incident.
During the press conference, labour leaders claimed that investigators had shifted the case away from its original direction to protect those actually responsible for the disaster.
They said the acquittal of the two accused has created the impression that no one has been held accountable for the deaths of hundreds of workers.
The speakers demanded a fresh review of the case and called for accountability of all individuals and institutions allegedly involved, including the factory owners.
They also said many promises made to victims and their families, including compensation commitments, remain unfulfilled nearly 14 years after the tragedy.
Also Read, SC acquits main accused in Baldia factory fire case, sets aside death penalty
