PSP, MQM distance themselves from suspect arrested in Thailand

ATC adjourns hearing against Dr Asim, Rauf Siddiqui, others until 19th

The Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) have distanced themselves from Abdul Rehman alias Bhola, the prime suspect in the 2012 arson attack at a garment factory in Baldia Town, belonged to the party.

Forty-six-year-old Bhola was detained a day earlier at a hotel in Nana, a red-light district in Thai capital Bangkok. He is believed to have been a sector in-charge for the MQM at the time of the Ali Enterprises factory fire, one of Pakistan’s worst industrial disasters in which 250 workers were burnt alive.

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) is hearing the inferno case and has repeatedly issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Bhola, Hammad Siddiqui and other suspects.

Talking to journalists outside the court, PSP President Anis Qaimkhani and MQM leader Rauf Siddiqui said their parties had nothing to do with Bhola. They condemned the Baldia blaze incident and demanded severe punishment for the accused.

Qaimkhani said a criminal could never belong to his party. He said anyone could access their website and fill out the membership form, but that does not guarantee membership.

Siddiqui also denied his party having any links with Bhola. He said he was unaware if the suspect had been associated with the MQM in the past, and reiterated that everyone behind the factory fire should be meted out a severe punishment.

Qaimkhani, Siddiqui and others were at the ATC for a hearing in a terrorism case against them as well as Dr Asim Hussain, Waseem Akhtar, Abdul Qadir Patel and others.

Dr Asim Hussain, who has been accused of providing medical treatment to criminals and terrorists at his hospital, did not show up at the hearing. The others were accused of requesting and persuading Dr Hussain to provide these treatments. The hearing has been adjourned until December 19.

The doctor, however, was produced before an accountability court in a corruption reference. A report submitted in court said Dr Hussain was receiving hydrotherapy twice a week at the Ziauddin Hospital. The court had previously granted him permission for this treatment. The court had indicted him and five others in a corruption reference filed by NAB on May 6. It is believed that the accused had caused losses of Rs462 billion to the national exchequer.