Agonising wait ends as seven factory fire victims identified

News of the death of loved ones in the Baldia garments factory fire last month must have been devastating. What is equally agonising is the wait many families have had to face for the identification of victims burnt beyond recognition. For seven families, that wait ended on Thursday.

The Edhi Foundation received the bodies of seven victims after DNA tests, and sent them to their families.

The victims identified are Mohammad Hanif, resident of Orangi Town, Mohammad Asif, resident of Baldia Town, Mohammad Imran, resident of Nazimabad, Mohammad Israr, resident of Baldia Town, Amna Bibi, wife of Allah Bukhsh, resident of Baldia Town, Masood ul Hassan, resident of Federal B Area, and Mohammad Faizan, resident of Baldia Town.

Edhi officials insist they received 202 bodies at their Sohrab Goth morgue, while government officials have put the death toll at 259.

They said that days after the fire, which broke out in Ali Enterprises at around 6pm on September 11 and raged for 15 hours, many families came to collect the bodies of their loved ones. Though the corpses were “impossible to identify”, officials said many people fought over them as they had no clue about their loved ones.

Edhi spokesperson Anwar Kazmi said they had the bodies of 39 victims, of which 32 were still with them.

The SHC had directed the provincial government earlier this month to expedite the process of conducting DNA tests on unidentified victims. A division bench, headed by Justice Maqbool Baqir, also told the relevant authorities to submit complete details of those killed or injured in the tragedy and provide monetary compensation to their families.

Friday 12 October 2012

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