Abdul Rehman alias Bhola, the key suspect of 2012 Karachi Baldia factory fire arrested in Bangkok, is a member of Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP).
Local news channel ‘Samaa News’ claimed having a membership farm of Abdul Rehman showing his association with the Karachi-based party led by former Karachi mayor Syed Mustafa Kamal.
Bhola is former worker of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and an employee of Karachi Municipal Corporation’s health department.
“He left MQM to join PSP,” our correspondent said. Both PSP and MQM have yet to give their versions over the membership.
He was detained by Bangkok police at a hotel in the red light district Nana area, said Thailand’s Interpol chief.
Thai Interpol tracked this suspect following an arrest warrant sought by the Pakistani authorities. He will be repatriated to Pakistan where he is booked in the case.
Rehman is suspected of being part of a criminal gang that was extorting the owners of a Karachi garment factory.
The gang burned down the factory when the owners refused to pay seven million baht ($200,000), he said.
The fire at the Ali Enterprises factory in September 2012 was one of Pakistan’s worst industrial disasters.