SHC seeks home dept’s comments on plea for shifting Uzair Baloch to central prison

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday issued notices to the home department, Sindh prosecutor general and others on a petition seeking shifting of the alleged kingpin of the Lyari gang war Uzair Jan Baloch from the Rangers’ Meetha Ram Hostel to the Central Jail Karachi.

The petitioner, Samina, had submitted that her spouse was picked up by personnel of law enforcement agencies in January 2016 and remained in their custody for over a year.

She submitted that Uzair, who was booked and chargesheeted in 40 terrorism-related cases which were pending before anti-terrorism courts (ATC) besides his conviction by a military court over espionage charges, was being kept at the Meetha Ram Hostel of the Rangers since June 9, 2020, by declaring it as sub-jail.

She submitted that Uzair had not been provided facilities as per the Sindh Prisoner and Correction Rules 2019. She added that her spouse was kept in solitary confinement and was not being allowed to meet the family members once in a month as per the jail rules.

She said that there was apprehension about the life of the detainee who could be killed at the hands of target killers during shifting from the court to sub-jail.

She submitted that the life of her husband was in danger and he may be provided adequate protection and security during hearing and shifting from the court.

The high court was requested to direct the home department to issue a fresh notification with regard to shifting of Uzair from the hostel to the central prison. The petitioner requested the high court to direct the home department to provide every necessity of life to Uzair like other prisoners as per the jail manual.

A division bench of the SHC headed by Justice Nadeem Akhtar after a preliminary hearing of the petition issued notices to the home department, Sindh advocate general and prosecutor general and called their comments on July 13.