Uzair Baloch finalised PPP candidates in Lyari, many other areas

KARACHI: Astounding revelations, regarding very close connections relation of the People’s Party and the Lyari Gang War chief Uzair Baloch were made by Shahzeb Khanzada in his programme on Tuesday.
He revealed that symbol of terror in Karachi the leader of the Lyari Gang War, Uzair Baloch had finalised the names of the candidates of People’s Party for contesting the 2013 elections from many constituencies of Karachi.
All of these candidates took the oath of allegiance with Uzair Baloch and not the party. A number of special videos depicting strong and close connections of the People’s Party and Uzair Baloch in the programme, which had never been seen or exposed earlier were shown.
One of these videos showed Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah and other important leaders of the PPP attending a reception Uzair Baloch had hosted immediately after the oath-taking ceremony.
Faryal Talpur, sister of former President Asif Ali Zardari, seen in the video are Sindh CM Qaim Ali Shah, Deputy Speaker Sindh Assembly Shehla Raza, Sharmila Farooqi and Senator Saeed Ghani. Uzair Baloch welcomed these leaders. All of the leaders were also shown sitting with Uzair Baloch together and later they posed with him.
Shahzeb also played the video in which the contestants of the 2013 election from Lyari and Keamari could be seen taking oath of allegiance with Uzair Baloch instead of the PPP. The PPP ticket holders also included the present MPAs Sania Naz and Javed Nagori. Yet another video showed Uzair Baloch addressing the participants of the reception.
Shahzeb Khanzada analysed that the videos are depicting the close, deep and strong relations of the banned organisation People’s Amn Committee and the People’s Party.
There had been report of such links between the PPP and Lyari Gang War (or People’s Amn Committee) but the People’s Party always refuted the reports. It also happened a number of times that PPP leaders claimed in the programmes of Geo.
They claimed that the People’s Party had taken action against the Lyari Gang War and never had any link with Uzair Baloch. PPP C0-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari, in ‘Geo News’ programme ‘Capital Talk’, told Hamid Mir on May 20, 2015, that there was no link or any sort of connection with Uzair Baloch or the People’s Amn Committee.
But, Shahzeb Khanzada stated that the videos with ‘Geo News’ clearly prove their claims as vague and phoney.
The contestants of the election who were given tickets by the People’s Party had no links or connection with Uzair Baloch and were not given tickets on his suggestion. Referring to the video of the reception hosted by Uzair Baloch and attended by Qaim Ali Shah and important leaders of the People’s Party, Shahzeb Khanzada said many leaders, including Sharjeel Memon, had been saying that Uzair Baloch had held that reception, but the video clearly shows Uzair Baloch welcoming at the host, Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah and Faryal Talpur. The special importance of the video is that it was a dinner hosted to celebrate success in the elections.
Shahzeb Khanzada, while referring to the video showing the oath taken by the contestants from Lyari and Keamari constituencies with Uzair Baloch, said there comments on the People’s Party that it issued tickets after approval from Uzair Baloch, while the People’s Party had been repeatedly asserting the party had issued the tickets on its own and Uzair Baloch had nothing to do with it. But in the video the contestants from Lyari and Keamari could be clearly seen taking oath of allegiance with Uzair Baloch.
The video showed Senator Yusuf speaking at the ceremony as saying that the PPP and Uzair Baloch will serve the people of Lyari and Keamari together. Khanzada said the video is also showing all the ticket holders taking oath (swearing) putting their hands on the Holy Qur’an. Earlier it was announced that all candidates prepare for ablution (Wazoo) and everyone taking the oath (swear) will take it aloud.
Shahzeb Khanzada further said in his analysis that the Singh government had fixed head money for Uzair Baloch but the same government removed it on March 4, 2013, before the elections. Later Uzair Baloch also took the oath of allegiance to him from the candidates in the presence of PPP leader Senator Yusuf Baloch. In the reception of Uzair Baloch the guests included Faryal Talpur, Qaim Ali Shah and other senior leaders of the PPP.
PPP Senator Saeed Ghani, while speaking in the programme, said the taking of oath of allegiance with Uzair Baloch by the candidates was not correct. He said the party had no knowledge of such oath. He said the dinner hosted by Uzair Baloch was not something secret. It was not a small party as there a few hundred invitees and photographs were taken while videos were also made. He said my MPA voters had invited me to attend it but I did not know it was a dinner by Uzair Baloch. The senator said the statement of Asif Zardari in which he contradicted that Uzair Baloch had any link with the People’s Party is correct. He asserted that Uzair Baloch had no connection with the People’s Party. He pointed out that it is not the proof that a person inviting the PPP leaders and the leaders responding to the invitation has any link with the party. He said Shahjahan Baloch and Javed Nagori are members of the party
Senator Saeed Ghani said in April 2012, after a number of people were killed in Lyari Operation and reports of the accesses of the police, the People’s Party had formed a committee comprising Abdul Qadir Patel, Senator Yusuf Baloch and him. “We held meetings with Uzair Baloch and also sent to the homes of the people killed in the operation and prepared a report and present it to the party. This act of the party brought and end to the impression that People’s Party cannot enter into Lyari.
“Thereafter we had started visiting Lyari and workers of the party also started functioning there. Uzair Baloch was papering in different programmes of different TV channels and has started movement in Lyari.”
Senator Saeed Ghani said Senator Yusuf Baloch is saying in the video that Sardar Uzair Baloch and the PPP will together make the candidates win the election. This clearly means that Uzair Baloch is not in the People’s Party. Saeed Ghani pointed out that Uzair Baloch is saying in the video that the People’s Party has nominated proper candidates and we will make them win. Actually it was the demand of the people that the People’s Party should allot tickets to candidates who live in Lyari and would not go outside of Lyari leaving the Lyariites. He said the demand was justified. I do not know Sania Naz well but MNA Shahjahan Baloch and Javed Nagori are old workers and the party gave them the tickets. Saeed Ghani pointed out the Uzair Baloch had said in an interview that the People’s Party in spite of his advice had not given ticket to Hakim Baloch, which means that the People’s Party was not given ticket on Uzair Baloch’s advice. Had we been doing so, we would have given ticket to Hakim Baloch, as Uzair had said.
Saeed Ghani said Zulfiqar Mirza had owned the People’s Amn Committee and had given undue lift to Uzair Baloch. People’s Party had been saying even at that time that the People’s Amn Committee has nothing to do with People’s Party and no one from the PPP, except Zulfiqar Mirza, had owned it. Mirza had patronised it and supported it in a way that it did not deserve. He even got certain things done by them, which should not have been done. He said the People’s Amn Committee was banned due to pressure from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement while head money for Uzair Baloch was also fixed.
Saeed Ghani said the efforts of the government to control situation in Lyari should not be seen in the context of efforts of our efforts to win the election. It was necessary to bring the situation normal after the Lyari Operation.
Saeed Ghani further said if Uzair Baloch was related in any way with the PPP then why should the party need to conduct another operation in Lyari. In case the election candidates take oath of allegiance for someone else then the People’s Party had no knowledge about it. The media made Uzair Baloch a hero after the Operation. All of the parties tried to gain ground in Lyari after the Operation and there should not be any objection if the People’s Party also tried to do so.
Former Member of the National Assembly Nabeel Gabol said he left the MQM after thorough consideration. “The very day I left the MQM I told the party that I was not a goat.” He added: “I was in danger even when I was in the MQM. Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Khurshid Shah had warned me about it.”
He said there is peace in Karachi ever since the Rangers are handling the affairs. There is peace in the city because the operation is going in the right direction. He said I am speaking in favour of the operation and supporting Rangers, which the MQM dislikes. Gabol said the Sindh government had provided him security for the last twelve years, which has been taken back abruptly. “Later the DIG South issued statement against me in a press conference. I had, therefore, no option but to approach the high court. It has been planned to eliminate me. There could be many people involved in the plan but I have particularly mentioned the name of the MQM because two nights earlier I received a phone from London in which Anwar said: ‘Here is Altaf Bhai’s message for you. Altaf Bhai say you are speaking too much and you will meet the same fate as others have met. We are just waiting for a chance. Consider this as a warning.’”
Gabol said: “I told Anwar that I am not Imran Farooq. Do whatever you like. I have my nation for my security. It is the people in the Rabita Committee who are unthankful and I am not so. I had told Altaf Husain earlier that the people of the Rabita Committee will stab you in the back. Altaf Husain is realising this fact now and saying they are leaving him alone. They made money and are now settled in America.”
Gobol said: “I recognise Anwar’s voice. I told him you are an Indian national. You and your men do not have courage to come to Pakistan, while I roam about in Pakistan. Come to attack me if you can and you will face a befitting answer.”
MQM leader Muhammad Anwar said Nabeel Gabol had said in the morning that Altaf Husain had threatened them and is now blaming me of threats. He said Nabeel Gabol should decided whether he was lying in the morning is lying now. He said Nabeel Gabol is angry with the People’s Party and facing threats from the People’s Party and is blaming MQM for threats to get security. He said Nabeel Gabol should bring forth the recording of the call which I had made to him. Just blaming is not enough. He should go to the court and prove it there. He said I have never talked to him ever after Nabeel Gabol resigned from the party. Then how I can I give him life threats.
Leader of Tehreek-e-Insaf Asad Omar said the party had concentrated on Dharna in the year 2014. He said it is the politics of the party struggled for the rights of the people and get justice for them. He said the people have expressed belief on the party through casting vote for the party in the local government elections. Now the PTI would concentrate on organising itself.
Member of Afghan Parliament Mir V Yaseeni said Afghanistan and Pakistan, instead of complaints against each other, should practically cooperate. There should be exchange of intelligence, he said.