The Supreme Court of Pakistan acquitted two Muttahida Qaumi Movement workers and overturned their death sentences in the Baldia Town factory fire case [1].
The ruling represents a significant legal shift in one of Karachi's most high-profile criminal cases. By reversing the previous convictions, the court has challenged the evidentiary basis used to sentence party members for the tragedy.
On June 10, 2026 [2], the court in Islamabad released a detailed verdict regarding the two individuals, identified as Abdul Rehman, alias Bhola, and Zubair, alias Chariya [1]. The court said there was insufficient evidence to uphold the death sentences previously awarded to the men [1].
The acquittal follows years of legal battles surrounding the fire that devastated the Baldia Town facility in Karachi. The court's decision to release the two workers marks a reversal of the lower court's findings regarding their involvement in the incident [3].
Mustafa Kamal, a leader of the MQM, responded to the ruling on June 15, 2026 [4]. He said that the decision served as a confirmation of the party's innocence in the matter.
"The verdict vindicates the stance we have maintained since the beginning," Kamal said [4].
The court's detailed verdict focused on the lack of proof required to maintain the capital punishment against the two accused [1]. This outcome provides a legal victory for the MQM, which has long argued that its workers were unfairly targeted in the investigation of the factory disaster [4].
“The Supreme Court of Pakistan acquitted two Muttahida Qaumi Movement workers and overturned their death sentences.”
This ruling undermines the previous judicial narrative that linked MQM party workers to the Baldia Town tragedy. By citing insufficient evidence, the Supreme Court has set a precedent that may lead to further reviews of related convictions, while providing the MQM with a critical political victory to argue that its members were victims of systemic targeting.
