KARACHI: The Baldia Factory Fire was set ablaze by two MQM workers after its owners refused to give them partnership in the business and pay extortion money, said a detailed Joint Investigation Report submitted at a local court on Saturday.

MQM workers Rehman Bhola and Hammad Siddiqui asked owners of the Ali Enterprise for a sum of Rs250 million as extortion, but only received Rs10 million.

After the owners ignored the extortion amount explosives packed in shopping bags were flung at the garment factory setting it ablaze. The Punjab Forensic Science Academy confirmed the fire was caused by explosives.

The MQM pressurized the owners even after they were released on bail. After various meetings with former MQM leader, Anees Qaimkhani’s close friend Muhammad Ali Hassan it was decided that the owners will pay MQM Rs598 million, which would later be distributed to the Baldia Factory Fire victims from the party’s platform.

All of the collected money is in the custody of MQM workers, Hasan Qadir and Anees Qaimkhani’s adopted son Abdul Sattar.

The public prosecutor requested the court to register a fresh case against Rahman Bhola, Hammad Siddiqui and Zubair aka Charya under the Pakistan Penal Court’s anti-terrorism act as the incident was an intentional act of terror. The fugitives should be arrested and their names placed on the ECL, he added.