Uzair Baloch’s confessional statement opens up new political, legal debate

Uzair Baloch acquitted in two more cases

KARACHI June 25, 2021: A confessional document attributed to Uzair Baloch, the alleged kingpin of the Lyari gang war, came before the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in which he made serious allegations against the leadership of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the police, who were benefiting from these criminal activities and activities or receiving millions of rupees a month in extortion from Karachi.

The statement was recorded in April 2016, three months after Rangers announced Uzair’s arrest in a raid on the outskirts of the city under Section 164 of the Criminal Code (CRPC) in the Judicial Magistrate’s Court. This declared arrest was contrary to reports that he was arrested in the UAE by Interpol two years ago.  

The confessional statement of Uzair Baloch, head of the defunct People’s Peace Committee, was submitted to the Special Anti-Terrorism Court.

The court summoned the concerned magistrate on the statement of Uzair Baloch 164 (confessional statement) at the next hearing.Uzair Baloch’s confessional statement was submitted by law enforcement officials in a special court at the anti-terrorism complex in the Central Jail on Thursday.

Uzair Baloch, head of the defunct People’s Peace Committee, made many accusations and important revelations in this explosive confessional statement about PPP leader Faryal Talpur, Senator Shahadat Awan, SSP Farooq Awan and others.  

He alleged in the confessional statement that crores of rupees were received from departments and people in the form of extortion. “I used to get Rs 2 million monthly from Fisheries Department and Faryal Talpur used to get Rs 10 million. Saeed Baloch and Nisar Morai, directors of fisheries, were appointed at my request.”

He claimed that he had friendly relations with Senator Shahadat Awan, SSP Farooq Awan and CCPO Wasim Ahmed. “I helped Shahadat Awan and Farooq Awan to occupy 15 acres of land in Samo Goth Malir forest and Gadap Town. Farooq Awan used to receive a monthly extortion of more that one lac rupees.”

Revealing about himself he said “I joined the Lyari gang war in 2003.” Uzair Baloch said in the confessional statement. In 2008, at the behest of PPP’s Faisal Raza Abidi and jail superintendent Nusrat Mangan, he made to look after the PPP prisoners. After the death of Rehman Dakit in 2008, Lyari took full command of the gang war. 

In 2008, he formed an armed terrorist group called the People’s Peace Committee. From 2008 to 2013, arms were ordered from Quetta and Pishin, he disclosed in his confessions.

The statement further read, he carried out kidnappings, ransoms and political rallies in the city with weapons. Deploy police officers and personnel of their choice in Lyari. Police officers were deployed from Zulfiqar Mirza, Qadir Patel and Senator Yousuf Baloch. 

Uziar claimed that he committed crimes in Lyari under the auspices of these police officers. In March 2013, he avenged the murder of his father, Faiz Muhammad alias Faizu. Arshad Pappu, his brother and accomplice were abducted with the help of police officers Javed Baloch and Chand Niazi.  

The three were beheaded and played football in the streets of Lyari and their bodies were burnt. He made a video of the bodies and spread it all over the country to spread terror.

Later, the court summoned the concerned magistrate on the statement of Uzair Baloch 164 at the next hearing.

The credibility or to be more precise maintainability about the confessional statement in the court of law is being argued. So much so Uzair has already retracted from it, saying that he never made such a confession.

Further more legal experts say the practice is that the confessional statements are nor voluntarily recorded rather they are recorded under duress.

They raise another point that confessional statement only carries weight when it is supported by circumstantial evidence.