Fourth IO of Baldia factory fire case to testify on 28th.

KARACHI -- An antiterrorism court on Friday summoned the last remaining prosecution witness to testify in the Baldia factory fire case.

Over 259 workers perished when a deadly fire engulfed the Ali Enterprises garment factory's building in Baldia Town on Sept 11, 2012.

Nine accused - including then provincial minister for commerce and industries Rauf Siddiqui of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Abdul Rehman aka Bhola and M. Zubair aka Chariya - have been charged with setting ablaze the factory with the help of its four gatekeepers - Shahrukh, Fazal Ahmed, Arshad Mehmood and Ali Mohammad.

So far 399 prosecution witnesses have deposed and IO will be the last one to testify

On Friday, the ATC-VII judge, who is conducting the trial in the judicial complex inside the Karachi central prison, summoned Inspector Raja Jahangir, the last witness of the prosecution, in the present case.

The matter was fixed for Oct 28.

Detained accused Rehman and Zubair were produced from prison while MQM lawmaker Siddiqui and others appeared in court on bail.

Special Public Prosecutor Sajid Mehboob Shaikh said that Inspector Jahangir was the fourth investigating officer in the present case, who had submitted three charge sheets.

He said that the case had entered the final phase as only one witness was to be examined.

399 PWs testified so far

The paramilitary Rangers, which became the prosecuting agency in the present case, had initially listed 768 witnesses in the charge sheet. Later, 368 of them were given up for being unnecessary. So far, the court has examined 399 witnesses.

In the third charge sheet, IO Jahangir had allegedly exonerated from all charges factory owners Abdul Aziz Bhaila, his sons Arshad and Shahid, manager Mohammad Mansoor, gatekeepers Fazal Ahmed, Arshad Mehmood and Ali Mohammad...

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