KARACHI – Zubair Chharya and Abdul Rehman alias Bhola, convicted in the Baldia Factory fire case, have been released from Central Jail Karachi following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn their convictions.
According to jail officials, both individuals were released after the completion of legal formalities, following release orders issued by the Registrar of the Sindh High Court and forwarded to the Anti-Terrorism Court and jail authorities.
The release comes after a Supreme Court bench earlier this month set aside the death sentences awarded by the trial court and upheld by the Sindh High Court, accepting the appeals of the convicts and ordering their acquittal.
Background of the case
The Baldia Town factory fire, one of Pakistan’s deadliest industrial incidents, had led to long-running legal proceedings and convictions at multiple judicial levels before the Supreme Court’s final ruling.
Post-release developments
Following their release, both individuals visited the MQM headquarters in Bahadurabad, where they met party workers and officials.
Meanwhile, victims of the factory fire and labour rights organisations have called for the case to be reopened, expressing concerns over the acquittal.
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