An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) has sentenced Zubair alias Charya and Abdul Rehman alias Bhola to death while acquitting Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) lawmaker Rauf Siddiqui in the Baldia factory fire case.

During the hearing today, the ATC acquitted Siddiqui over lack of evidence against him. The court also acquitted Iqbal Adeel Khanum, Dr Abdul Sattar Khan and Ali Hasan Qadri. However, four others were convicted for facilitation.

On September 11, 2012, 260 workers died after they were burnt alive when the garment factory building was set on fire.

Siddiqui, Abdul Rehman alias Bhola and others were charged with setting the factory on fire. The accused allegedly followed orders of Hammad Sidique, who was then an MQM party high official and in charge of the Karachi Tanzeemi Committee (KTC).

The building was set ablaze after the factory owners refused to pay them Rs200 million as extortion money. According to the JIT report, an eyewitness said that not only was the factory burnt down with workers inside, they also made sure nobody could escape by locking the doors.

The ATC had reserved its verdict on September 2 after hearing arguments from both sides. At least 400 people have recorded their statements in the case.