KARACHI: The trial in the high-profile Baldia factory fire case — in which over 260 workers were burnt alive — is likely to be concluded on Sept 17, as an antiterrorism court on Wednesday fixed the matter to hear concluding final arguments from prosecutor and defence counsel for the accused persons.

Nine accused, including Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader and then provincial minister for commerce and industries Rauf Siddiqui; then MQM sector in-charge Abdul Rehman, alias Bhola and M. Zubair, alias Chariya, have been charged with setting ablaze the industrial unit with the help of its four gatekeepers Shahrukh, Fazal Ahmed, Arshad Mehmood and Ali Mohammad.

On Wednesday, the matter came up before the ATC-VII judge.

Two detained accused Abdul Rehman and Zubair were produced from prison while others — including Rauf Siddiqui, Fazal Ahmed, Arshad Mehmood, Ali Mohammad, Shahrukh Latif, Dr Abdul Sattar and Umar Hassan — appeared before the court on bail.

The court granted exemption from personal appearance to an ailing accused, Ms Iqbal Adeeb Khanum, on the request made by her defence counsel Hassan Sabir.

The Rangers special public prosecutor Sajid Mehboob Shaikh appeared along with additional special public prosecutor Rana Khalid Hussain and adopted his previous arguments as final arguments.

The defence counsel for the accused also adopted their previous arguments as final ones.

However, Advocate Syed Shahid Iqbal, defence counsel for accused Shahrukh Latif, was absent.

The investigating officer of the case, Inspector Raja Jahangir and former IO Inspector Jahanzaib also appeared.

The judge put off the hearing till Sept 17 to hear final arguments from the special prosecutors and the defence counsel for the accused persons.

The matter is currently at the stage of final arguments from the defence counsel and counter-arguments from the special public prosecutors.

The trial is likely to be concluded if the prosecution and defence complete their final arguments on the next date.

Under the law, once the parties conclude their final arguments, the court reserves its verdict in the case to be announced later.

Earlier, the prosecution had rested its side after recording material evidence — including forensic, ballistic and chemical analysis reports — and testimonies of 400 prosecution witnesses against the accused persons. The prosecution has given up 369 witnesses being ‘unnecessary’.

According to prosecutor Shaikh, a total of 264 people perished in the fire that engulfed the multistorey building of the readymade garments manufacturing unit in September 2012. It includes bodies of 17 persons, who were charred beyond recognition.

On the last hearing, prosecutor Shaikh rebutted the final arguments advanced by advocate M.T. Khan and Mansoor Akhtar, defence counsel for Zubair, alias Chariya, and Abdul Rehman, alias Bhola, respectively.

The counsel for both the accused and others, including MQM leader Rauf Siddiqui, in their final arguments, had denied the allegations levelled by the prosecution against their clients, claiming innocence on the part of their clients and pleaded to acquit them.

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2020