Uzair Baloch confesses to spying for Iranian intelligence agencies in sensational disclosure

KARACHI - Uzair Baloch, a notorious leader of the Lyari gang war, on Monday made startling revelations in court, and also admitted to providing secret information regarding Pakistan's security institution to Iranian intelligence agencies, local media reported.

While giving his confessional statement regarding his crimes in missing persons case before the magistrate, Baloch said that he provided information regarding army installations and officials to foreign agents, adding that the Iranian agents had assured him of his safety.

Uzair, who was arrested by security forces after he mysteriously appeared in Karachi last year in January, was also once a loyal of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

The gang war leader said that he had also established a terror group named Peoples Aman Committee, and had confessed to killing many people, including police officials and government officers.

"I had political support for these activities, including transfer and posting of favourite police officers," he said, adding that he acquired weapons during 2008 to 2013 which were used in the attacks.

In 2012, around 35 cases pertaining to murder, attempted murder and attacking the police had been registered against him.

He was also declared a proclaimed offender after he killed three men including Arshad Pappu, the alleged leader of a Lyari gang, his brother Yasir Arafat and their confidant Juma Shera in 2013.

On December 29, 2014, Interpol arrested Uzair when he was crossing into the United Arab Emirates from Muscat by road. Later, the Pakistani authorities confirmed the report and sent a team to UAE for taking him into custody but it was refused.

Later, the same team again visited the Gulf state several times in this regard and it surfaced on media that UAE had handed over the accused to Pakistani authorities, but there was no official statement.

Subsequently, Uzair Baloch had been arrested by Rangers personnel outside Karachi last year in January in what the paramilitary force said was a raid, Dawn news reported.