Daily Times

A prosecutor representing Sindh Rangers submitted confessional statement of Lyari gang war chief Uzair Baloch in Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday, according to media reports.

Sindh Rangers’ prosecutor Sajid Mehboob presented the confessional statement of Baloch in SHC during a hearing regarding the murder of gangster Arshad alias Papu.

“Uzair Baloch has admitted that he was involved in killings, extortion and occupation over lands in the area,” said Sajid Mehboob during his briefing. However, the SHC adjourned the hearings till December 16 because investigation officer (IO) was absent.

It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) parliamentarian Shah Jehan Baloch, Zubair Baloch were also suspects in the Arshad Papu killing case.

Earlier, the joint investigation team (JIT) constituted to probe the case had revealed that gang war leader Uzair Baloch had admitted to killing security personnel and civilians before a judicial magistrate. The gang war leader, in his statement, alleged that he was being backed by some political factions. “The assassination of two Rangers personnel in 2013 (namely) Aijaz and Munir, were carried out on my orders,” said the gang leader. “We were trying to trap the opponents in false murder allegations,” he submitted.

Uzair Baloch said that his gang members had killed six cops and civillians during several gun encounters with the police. He submitted that the gun battles were carried out by the police under command of senior superintendent of police (SSP) Chaudhry Aslam.

Reportedly, the gang was also involved in a murder of another councilor namely Tanvir. Baloch also mentioned that during clashes with a rival gang led by Ghaffar Zikri, five to six people lost their lives.

Furthermore, he also admitted to receiving hefty sums of money from several public departments and members of the business community through extortion. “The Fisheries department was prominent on the list,” submitted Baloch. Uzair Baloch claimed that fisheries director Saeed Baloch and Dr Nisar Morai were also appointed on his reference.

He claimed that he had established friendly links with Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Karachi Waseem Ahmed, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Farooq Awan and his brother Shahadat Awan. “I accomplished several tasks on their directives,” said Baloch. “I also extended my support to the Awan brothers in land grabbing and occupation,” he confessed.

Published in Daily Times, December 8^th 2018.