A district and sessions court dismissed on Monday a reference sent by a judge seeking transfer of the Baldia factory fire case to some other court for trial.

The case was pending before Additional District and Sessions Judge (west) Abdullah Channa and a few weeks ago he sent a reference to the district and sessions court requesting it to transfer the case to any other court for trial.

However, District and Sessions Judge (west) Shahnawaz Tariq dismissed the reference and directed the judge to conduct the trial.

According to the prosecution, over 250 workers were killed in a devastating fire which engulfed the multi-storey factory building in Baldia Town on the evening of Sept 11, 2012 within the remit of the Site-B police station.

A case (FIR 343/12) was registered against Abdul Aziz Bhaila, his two sons Arshad Bhaila and Shahid Bhaila, general manager Mansoor and gatekeepers Fazal Ahmed, Arshad Mehmood, Ali Mohammad and Shahrukh under Sections 302 (premeditated murder), 322 (punishment for qatl-bis-sabab), 435 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to cause damage etc), 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house, etc.), 337 (Shajjah) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code at the Site-B police station.

Around a month ago, the investigation officer had submitted a supplementary charge-sheet in court in which he dropped Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code and charge-sheeted the suspects only in Sections 322, 337 and 34 of the PPC read with Section 512 (record of evidence in absence of accused) of the criminal procedure code.