Eight years later

On September 11, 2012, the multi-storey Ali Enterprises garment factory was set on fire in Baldia Town, Karachi, causing the death of over 260 workers who were burnt alive. The incident became the deadliest industrial outbreak in the history of Pakistan. The JIT report mentioned that the men set the factory on fire because the owner denied paying extortion money. Arshad Bhaila, one of the owners of the factory, had testified in the court that MQM workers had asked him to pay Rs250 million.

After eight years, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) sentenced two persons to death. The verdict, however, has raised an important question: Are only two men responsible for hundreds of deaths?

Muhammad Bilal Ferozi

Karachi