Supreme Court Rejects Sindh Review Plea in Baldia Factory Fire Case
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN — WEB DESK: Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed the Sindh government’s review petition challenging the acquittal of two men previously sentenced to death in the 2012 Baldia Town factory fire case.
A three-member bench comprising Justice Malik Shehzad Ahmed Khan, Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi and Justice Shakeel Ahmad heard the review petitions.
Additional Prosecutor General Sindh Saleem Akhtar presented arguments before the bench on behalf of the provincial government.
The Sindh government had sought reconsideration of the Supreme Court’s June 10 judgment that acquitted Abdul Rehman alias Bhola and Muhammad Zubair alias Chariya, setting aside their death sentences and extending them the benefit of the doubt.
The provincial government filed its review petition on July 1, challenging the acquittal and arguing that important eyewitness, medical and other evidence had not been properly considered.
The review proceedings also raised legal questions concerning the rights of victims’ families to challenge acquittals under anti-terrorism legislation and the assessment of evidence presented during the case.
The Supreme Court dismissed the review plea, leaving its earlier acquittal judgment intact.
The court also dismissed a separate petition seeking the deletion of remarks concerning the Muttahida Qaumi Movement from the case record.
The case stems from the devastating fire at the Ali Enterprises garment factory in Karachi’s Baldia Town on September 11, 2012. Around 260 workers were killed and dozens more injured, making it one of Pakistan’s deadliest industrial disasters.
An anti-terrorism court had earlier sentenced Bhola and Chariya to death. The Sindh High Court subsequently maintained their convictions and sentences before the case reached the Supreme Court.
In June 2026, the Supreme Court overturned those convictions after concluding that the prosecution case did not meet the required threshold for maintaining the convictions, giving the two men the benefit of the doubt.
Wednesday’s dismissal of the review petition means the Supreme Court’s decision acquitting the two men remains in force.
