KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Thursday directed the police to seek a written statement of Uzair Baloch, the chief of banned Peoples Amn Committee, from the authorities concerned as the police still remain unable to grill the alleged gangster in reported murder of four missing persons.

The provincial home secretary submitted that they approached the Army’s V Corps, Karachi with a request to provide access to a police team to interrogate Baloch, who is currently facing trial before military courts, adding that the V Corps would seek permission from General Headquarters.

A two-judge bench of the SHC headed by Justice Muhammad Karim Khan Agha was hearing a petition seeking whereabouts of a head constable of jail police and his three friends, who reportedly went missing in 2010 near the central prison.

In the last hearing, the bench had sought an explanation report from the home secretary over non-compliance with its earlier order for the questioning of the alleged Lyari gangster in alleged murder case of missing persons.

On Thursday, the home secretary was in attendance and informed the bench through a compliance report that on May 3, the home department had requested the V Corps to provide access to a police team headed by the SSP investigation (East) to interrogate Uzair Baloch in the present case.

On Aug 29, the officials concerned of V Corps and a deputy superintendent of police, who is the investigating officer of the case, were asked to share progress reports in order to comply with the court order, the report added.

It further said that in reference to another letter of the home department dated Sept 18, the DSP visited V Crops a few days ago and met the relevant officials and they informed the police officer that permission would be sought from GHQ about the questioning of Uzair Baloch and they will inform the DSP after getting permission.

The bench in its order observed that it appears that police have not been able to interrogate Uzair Baloch in the missing persons case, adding that if it was difficult to grill him, then the IO may request the authorities concerned to provide a written statement of the alleged gangster in order to confirm whether he killed the four missing persons and where the bodies of the victims have been dumped.

The bench directed the IO to place a compliance report before it by Oct 24.

The petition was filed in 2011 regarding the alleged disappearance of Lala Amin, head constable of jail police, Ghazi Khan, Sher Afzal and Shiraz Khan from the jurisdiction of the New Town police station in 2010.

Phullan Khatoon, the mother of Ghazi Khan, had petitioned the SHC and alleged that her son and his friends had been picked up by Rangers on August 1, 2010 and pleaded for their recovery.

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2019