Uzair Baloch says he is being persecuted for belonging to PPP

Uzair Baloch, the alleged kingpin of the Lyari gang war, told an anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday that he had suffered political victimisation for his affiliation with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and efforts were made to pressurise him into joining the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

“I am being persecuted for belonging to the PPP. If today I give up and join the PTI, the charges against me will be dropped,” Uzair, who was also the chief of the now defunct Peoples Amn Committee, told the ATC-VIII judge during a hearing.

He was produced before the court at the judicial complex inside the Central Jail Karachi from the Mitha Ram Hostel amid tight security. In June, he was transferred by the home department from the prison to the hostel, which the Rangers use as a base, over security concerns.

He complained to the judge that he was not being provided with facilities in accordance with the jail manual at the hostel and was subjected to torture. He requested the judge to order his return to jail for which he was directed to move an application.

Uzair faces around five dozen cases of serious felonies, including murder, attempts to murder, kidnapping, extortion and terrorism in special courts. Besides, in April, he was sentenced by a military court to 12 years in prison for spying for the Iranian intelligence agencies.

The Rangers had announced the arrest of Uzair during a raid in the outskirts of Karachi in January 2016. Later, a joint investigation team (JIT) was formed to interrogate him.

In the meantime, the ATC-XVI judge gave a last chance to alleged gangster Sher Muhammad Sheikh, a co-accused with Uzair in the kidnapping-cum-murder case of two Rangers intelligence personnel, to engage his counsel.

Muneer Ahmed Bhutto and Aijaz Ahmed Baloch, both belonging to the intelligence wing of the Sindh Rangers were kidnapped from Lyari, and later their tortured bodies were found in the Mewa Shah graveyard in March, 2013.

According to a JIT report, they were abducted by gangster Sher Muhammad Sheikh who had informed Uzair that they were spying on him. After confirming the lead, Uzair had allegedly asked the gangster to kill them so that he could escape the blame.