Criminals trying to affect probe, say Rangers

Karachi
Rangers said on Tuesday that a gang of extortionists was trying to influence the investigation into the Baldia factory fire.
A spokesperson for the paramilitary force said the gang was issuing threats to the case’s investigation officer and the relatives of the fire victims.
The issue of threats was discussed at a Rangers meeting presided over by the force’s director general Major General Bilal Akbar.
The Rangers deputy director general, sector commanders and intelligence officials attended the meeting. The spokesperson said the participants of the meeting expressed serious concerns over the efforts by some elements to influence the investigation.
The Rangers intelligence officials identified the people and the organisation responsible for the fire at a factory in Baldia Town on September 11, 2012 that had killed 267 people.
The issue of the disappearance of the prime suspect Rizwan Qureshi and its implications were also discussed.
The Rangers director general ordered the arrest of all the suspects and their supporters involved in the factory fire and asked the law enforcement agencies to intensify the ongoing crackdown against criminals in the province, especially in Karachi.
The interior ministry has already placed the names of six people allegedly involved in the Baldia factory fire in the exit control list. They include Hammad Siddiqui, the former Karachi tanzeemi committee in-charge of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Syed Javed Shakeel, Muhaammad Rizwan Qureshi, Abdur Rehman alias Bhola, Asghar Baig and Majid Baig.
The home department had requested the Centre to place their names in the list after a joint interrogation team report had disclosed their involvement in the fire. Another joint investigation team led by AIG Crime Khadim Hussain Bhatti and DIG Mushtaq Mahar is currently investigating the fire.