Analysts term Army custody of Uzair Baloch important development

KARACHI: Analysts have termed the custody of Uzair Baloch by Pakistan Army as an important development.

The infamous Lyari gangster Baloch was taken by the army in its custody on charges of espionage, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed late Tuesday, after nearly 15 months of his detention with different law enforcement agencies following his arrest in January 2016.

Speaking with Geo News, senior Karachi-based journalist Mazhar Abbas said that though Kulbhushan Jadhav's case proceeded for three months but it appears that Uzair Baloch's trial period should not take more than a month and a half.   

Read More: Army takes custody of Uzair Baloch

Meanwhile, Air Vice Marshal (Rtd) Shahzad Chaudhry opined that there appears to be a connection between Kulbhushan Jadhav's case and Uzair Baloch.

“Perhaps on Baloch's information, Jhadav was taken into custody. The gangs have been dismantled, their entire apparatus is broken, now they will be presented before military courts.”

Earlier, a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing notorious Lyari gang-war leader Uzair Baloch completed its investigation in March, 2016.

The JIT report stated that Baloch was spying for an Iranian intelligence agency and recommended that the gangster be tried by a military court.

The report, after its findings, also urged the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal Investigative Agency (FIA) to probe the issue of land-grabbing in relation to Baloch.

Uzair Baloch was also said to be in contact with Kulbhushan Jadhav an on-duty Indian Navy officer arrested by Pakistani intelligence agencies from Balochistan in March 2016 - besides being involved in anti-state activities.

Read: Pakistan sentences Indian RAW agent Kulbhushan Jadhav to death

On Monday, Pakistan also sentenced Kulbhushan Jadhav to death for carrying out espionage and sabotage activities in Balochistan and Karachi. Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa confirmed the death sentence awarded by the Field General Court Martial under the Pakistan Army Act.