ATC declares Habib Jan Baloch, others wanted in Arshad Pappu murder case

KARACHI: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Monday declared Habib Jan Baloch and others wanted in the Arshad Pappu murder case.

The court declared London-based Baloch wanted in the case along with other key members of the Lyari Gang war such as Zahid Ladla, Asif Mithal, Faisal Pathan, Ustad Taju, Shabbir Ahmad, Yasir Pathan, Saqib Boxer, Jawad Langra, Hameed aka Lala Orangi, Shahid Mixed Patti and Shiraz Comrade.  

Police told the court that Baloch was not in Pakistan and managed to evade arrest by going underground, overseas. The Rangers prosecutor requested the ATC judge to include suspect Uzair Baloch's confessional statement in the case.

"I haven't recorded any confessional statement," said Uzair. 

"Your confessional statement has been recorded before a judge. It bears your signatures as well," responded the judge. "Tomorrow, you will say this trial also never took place," he added. 

The court asked police to submit a report on July 25 pertaining to the Baba Ladla killing. The judge fixed the next hearing for Baloch's fresh indictment. 

PTI received full support from Uzair Baloch: Habib Baloch

Baloch while speaking to The News last week said Uzair supported both the PTI and PPP, however, the latter wanted Uzair and his associates to support the party secretly fearing questions from media.

Baloch explained that Uzair, Rehman Baloch and others told PTI leadership that they were patriotic Pakistanis and will give support in public and will not hide their support for PTI.

He claimed that without Uzair’s support, Imran Khan and former chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhary would not have been able to enter Karachi and hold public meetings; Federal Ministers Faisal Vawda and Ali Zaidi would not have been in a position to hold public rallies without Uzair Jan’s support.

Uzair Baloch confessed to murdering Arshad Pappu: JIT

A Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report released on last week in its findings had said Baloch, whose father was kidnapped and killed by father of Arshad Pappu, joined the Rehman Dacoit gang to avenge the murder of his father.

“After killing of Rehman Dacoit in 2008 Baloch took over his gang and launched the Peoples Amman Committee (PAC) under whose garb, he continued his criminal activities and gang war in Lyari against Arshad Pappu and Ghaflar Zikri groups,” the report said.

It added, “Besides it, his gang war activities also continued against MOM target killers/activists in the neighbouring towns of Lyari.”

The report further stated that in April 2012, police launched an operation in Lyari against the PAC but suffered heavy men/material losses and failed to enter into mainland Lyari due to stiff armed resistance from the PAC gangsters and remained restricted to Cheel Chowk.

“ln March 2013, Arshad Pappu was brutally killed by Uzair's gangsters, which made Uzair Baloch the undisputed criminal king of Lyari. However, soon after the murder of Arshad Pappu, the PAC gangsters developed an internal rift, where after its mainstay Noor Muhammad @ Baba Ladla, separated his group which created another strife in Lyari with Uzair Baloch gang having the upper hand,” it added.