More details into Hammad Siddiui’s arrest revealed

DUBAI: More details have emerged into the arrest of Hammad Siddiqui, a key suspect in Baldia factory, who was detained by the UAE authorities last month.

According to the details, Siddiqui was residing in Dubai on work permit as a marketing manager. A lady was also arrested during the raid. While the investigations are underway no more information was available about the woman.

Pakistan authorities are working for his repatriation.

A court, hearing Baldia factory tragedy, had issued red warrants for Siddiqui in January 2017. He is wanted in several cases by the Karachi police including kidnapping, killing and extortion.

In September 2012, over 250 people were burnt alive at a factory situated in Karachi's Baldia Town. Subsequent investigations led to revelations that the factory was deliberately set ablaze over non-payment of extortion money. Some MQM leaders were implicated in the case as well.

Another prime suspect in the case, Abdul Rehman alias Bhola, had confessed that he set the factory on fire on the orders of Hammad Siddiqui, who was the chief of MQM’s powerful Karachi Tanzeemi Committee, and had fled the country after the military crackdown began against the criminals.

Bhola was rounded up from Bangkok by the Interpol on December 03, upon the request of Pakistani authorities. He was on the run since four years.

On November 28 during hearing of the Baldia factory fire case, an anti-terrorism court had grilled authorities for not being able to arrest Hammad Siddiqui and Rahman alias Bhola. The court had ordered the interior ministry to arrest fugitives with the help of Interpol.