Five cops record statements in Baldia factory fire case

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in the Baldia Town factory fire case recorded statements of five police officers from different police stations on Friday and adjourned the hearing till July 21.

The key accused Rehman and Zubair were produced before the court at the central prison. The police officers informed the court that they had gathered body parts of the deceased workers of the factory. The witnesses added that they identified the bodies through their parts and mobile phone records.

The officers held that it was difficult to identify the deceased and in many cases, only an arm or a leg was found. Later the same bodies were sent to the hospital for postmortem purposes. The court has so far recorded statements of around 65 witnesses whereas some 720 prosecution witnesses have been nominated in the Baldia factory fire case.

Around 260 workers of Ali Enterprises, a garments factory in Baldia Town, died when a massive fire engulfed the building on September 11, 2012 as they were unable to escape the premises due to locked windows and doors.