ISLAMABAD: Inexplicable escape of Lyari gang war don Uzair Baloch from Pakistan, his subsequent sudden capture in Dubai, then his enigmatic return to the homeland and finally his welcome ‘arrest’ on the ‘outskirts’ of Karachi are equally mysterious and puzzling and raise many questions, requiring answers.
It was mystifying to notice as to how Uzair Baloch, wanted in over 50 cases of heinous crimes like murder, kidnapping and extortions, conveniently fled from Pakistan after the launch of the targeted operation by the Rangers in Karachi in September 2013. Not even the most vigilant agencies could get a clue about his daring sneaking out of Pakistan.
It was equally mysterious how he was arrested by the Interpol in Dubai in December 2014 when he was entering the UAE from another country. Acting on the documents provided by the Sindh administration, the federal government had issued the warrants for Uzair Baloch in June 2014 and approached the Interpol for his capture.
On receiving the news of his arrest in Dubai, the Pakistan government had seemingly concertedly tried to get him extradited. But a special team comprising senior police officials and a Rangers representative which stayed in Dubai for over a month to take his custody, returned to Karachi empty-handed in March 2015.
On the face of it, the team remained engaged in hectic efforts but it failed to secure Uzair Baloch’s custody with the Dubai authorities apparently dilly-dallying on handing him over to it. A lengthy court procedure was invoked there which did not produce any positive results for the team. But it now seems that the accused might have been extradited at the time, but his return to Pakistan was kept secret for reasons best known to those who did so. It doesn’t sound convincing that Uzair Baloch, who was under detention of the Interpol in Dubai or of the UAE authorities, had run away from their custody to land on the outskirts of Karachi. It is not possible that a don how powerful he may be could jump out of the Dubai jail and arrive in Karachi by air or by sea without being noticed by the vigilant Pakistani authorities that were after him and had fixed a head money of Rs2 million.
The whole story is fishy and incredible. It is provided substance by widespread reports that had been circulating in Pakistan that Uzair Baloch was secretly transported to Pakistan and had been in the custody of some Pakistani agency. Grapevine had it that he would be brought in the open at an appropriate time.
Such reports, which were never confirmed or denied by any state agency, also said that Uzair Baloch had even recorded his statement implicating several key Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders in the same pattern as had been done by Saulat Mirza from his death cell, accusing the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) of serious criminal activities.
Senior Sindh Minister Nisar Khuhro’s remarks gave rise to speculations when he said after Uzair Baloch’s arrest that the question about the accused should be put to ‘those’ who had him in their custody and after how long has his arrest been announced. “I have no knowledge about Uzair Baloch’s connection with the PPP; I don’t know him.”
Sindh Adviser Maola Bux Chandio also authenticated speculations in his own way, saying that there had been reports of arrest of Uzair Baloch. But obviously, the Sindh government had no confirmation. He stated that the objective behind the surfacing of the accused would transpire soon.
No major political party or figure is rocked and worried over the Uzair Baloch’s arrest but a lot of commotion has apparently hit the PPP, which fears that he will spill the beans, creating nightmares for some of its leaders.
The comments made by the Sindh ministers also give a clear idea about the anxiety and apprehensions prevailing in the PPP. But former Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfikar Mirza was still ready to call Uzair Baloch his brother.
However, Chandio was more pragmatic. He admitted that he had met Uzair Baloch for a number of times when the accused was associated with the PPP. “But at times some people, who are affiliated with a political entity, violate its discipline by involving in criminal activities and after that they lose their association with it.”
He said it would be unfair to link Uzair Baloch with the PPP. However, the PPP had been benefiting from the support of this powerful accused in Lyari in the elections before they parted ways.
