Wednesday 13 March 2013

Baldia factory fire case: SHC gives one week to identify charred bodies


The Sindh High Court has yet again ordered the National Forensic Science Agency and others concerned to submit a report regarding the identities of the seventeen workers of the Baldia garments factory, whose bodies were charred beyond recognition in the fire. Nearly 259 workers were burnt in the country’s worst industrial disaster, when a huge fire reduced the Ali Enterprises to ashes on September 11, 2012. As the repeated DNA tests failed to determine the identities of the victims, the bereaved families had gone to court seeking permission for mass burial.

The judges on February 20 allowed the bereaved families to perform last rites and bury the seventeen unidentified bodies to end the mental torture and agony the families had been going through for the past six months.

Meanwhile, the laboratory’s project director was directed to expedite DNA matching process by drawing fresh samples and submit report by March 11. On Tuesday, the advocate general Abdul Fattah Malik said that while the unidentified bodies were buried following permission granted by the court, none of the relatives of the victims had come forward to pursue DNA testing, thus their identification has yet to be determined.

Regarding compensation, Malik informed the judges that a commission tasked to disburse compensation among the victims’ families had already been constituted and was working in this regard.

Justice Maqbool Baqir, who headed the bench, directed all concerned to complete DNA matching process and submit report within one week.

Wednesday 13 March 2013

http://tribune.com.pk/story/519876/baldia-factory-fire-case-shc-gives-one-week-to-identify-charred-bodies/

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Kites soar in Gaza Strip to offer hope to 3/11 disaster zone


A thousand local children gathered in southern Gaza Strip and flew kites on March 11 to commemorate the victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, which struck the coast of northeastern Japan two years ago.

"People have been killed here in wars, so we can understand the pain of people in the disaster zone (of the earthquake and tsunami)," said Nour Alnamrouty, one of the children. "I want to give the Japanese people hope."

The homemade kites were printed with the Japanese and Palestinian flags, and one of them had the word "Japan" written in Arabic on it.

Wednesday 13 March 2013

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/social_affairs/AJ201303120099

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