MQM's Rauf Siddiqui. Photo: File 

KARACHI: Sindh Rangers on Monday submitted a request in an Anti-Terrorism Court to name Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Rauf Siddiqui as a suspect in the Baldia factory fire case.

Sindh Rangers said that it is important to investigate the MQM leader as the prime suspect of the case, Rehman Bhola, had disclosed his involvement in the incident.

Sajid Mehboob, the Rangers prosecutor, maintained that Siddiqui?s name also surfaced in the Joint Investigation Team?s report for the Baldia case.

Meanwhile, police admitted lack of proof against Siddiqui in a report submitted to the court.

Making the admission before an investigation team, the main accused, Bhola, had said he deliberately set ablaze the Ali Enterprises factory in September 2012 on the instructions of MQM leader Hammad Siddiqui, killing at least 259 workers at the garment factory in Karachi's Baldia Town area.

Baldia factory fire accused Bhola brought to Karachi

Rahman alias Bhola is one of the main accused in Baldia factory inferno case, which claimed more than 250 lives

Bhola revealed that the MQM leader gave him instructions to set fire to the factory due to non-payment of Rs250 million bhatta (extortion money).

He claimed that the intent behind the arson attack was only to intimidate owners of the Ali Enterprise, saying he did not anticipate that his act would result in the loss of lives.

Rahman was arrested in December 2016 in Bangkok by Interpol. About 40 commandos raided a room at the Royal Garden Home Hotel in Soi Nana and arrested Abdul Rehman alias Bhola, 46, who was staying alone in the room. 

The Federal Investigation Agency brought Abdul Rahman alias Bhola to Karachi from Bangkok later on.