Pakistani court rules deadly 2012 blaze was arson, sentences 2 to death

Pakistan's deadliest industrial fire, which killed more than 260 garment factory workers in 2012, was a case of arson and not an accident, a court ruled on Tuesday as it sentenced two former political party activists to death for starting it.

 

The Anti-Terrorism Court found that the men set the factory ablaze because the owners did not give in to their extortion demands and pay them money.

 

The fire at Ali Enterprise, a readymade garment manufacturing in the southern city of Karachi, sent shockwaves through the nation.

 

Of the eight other people accused in the case, four were found complicit while the other four were acquitted, including the then provincial minister for industries, Rauf Siddiqui, defense counsel Abid Zaman told reporters outside the court.