Uzair Baloch
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Uzair Jan Baloch. A name that echoes through the streets of Lyari, Karachi. Once a gangster, a former crime lord, and the head of the outlawed Peoples' Aman Committee.
Born on January 11th, 1970, in the heart of Lyari, Uzair's story is deeply intertwined with the fabric of this vibrant, yet often troubled, district. His father, Faiz Muhammad, known as Mama Faizu, was a transporter with roots stretching back to Iran's Sistan and Balochistan province. Some of his family members still reside in Iran, holding dual Pakistani-Iranian citizenship. In 2006, Uzair found himself on the run, fleeing an operation targeting Lyari's street gangs, seeking refuge in Iran. There, he secured an Iranian passport and national identity card, renewing them around 2010 when they expired.
His journey into public life began as an independent candidate for Lyari's mayorship in the 2001 municipal elections, a bid that ultimately fell short against the Pakistan Peoples' Party's Habib Hassan. But it was the brutal murder of his father in 2003, kidnapped for ransom and killed by Arshad Pappu, the son of Lyari's drug lord Haji Lalu, that is said to have irrevocably steered Uzair towards organized crime, igniting a fierce desire for revenge.
Initially pursuing justice through the courts, Uzair faced threats from Lalu's gang. Fate, however, had a more violent path in store. Arshad Pappu was a bitter rival of gangster Rehman Dakait, Uzair's own first cousin, locked in a brutal conflict over land and drugs in Lyari. Invited to join his cousin's gang, Uzair initially resisted, but the shared enemy proved too strong a bond. The streets of Lyari became a battleground, with hundreds falling victim to the escalating gang warfare. In 2009, Dakait met his end in a shootout with police, and Uzair Baloch stepped into the leadership void. By 2013, the cycle of violence culminated in the chilling abduction, torture, and beheading of Arshad Pappu and his brother Yasir Arafat by Uzair's gang. Their bodies were paraded, then burned, their ashes scattered. Reports suggest Uzair Baloch and his associate Baba Ladla even played football with the severed heads, a grim testament to Uzair's chilling declaration: "It is karma – what goes around comes around," a stark reference to avenging his father's murder.
Uzair's criminal activities were met with law enforcement attention. In 2003, he was arrested by SP Chaudhry Aslam of the Sindh police, only to be released on bail, a testament to his political connections. Following Rehman Dakait's death, Uzair rose to prominence as the new gang leader, deeply involved in a spectrum of criminal enterprises and at the helm of the Peoples' Aman Committee. His ties to the Pakistan Peoples' Party offered him protection until 2012.
The net began to tighten in June 2014 when the Sindh Government issued red warrants and a bounty of Rs. 2 million. He was a wanted man for over 50 cases, including extortions and the targeted killings of police officers and rival gang members. Uzair fled Pakistan, but his escape was short-lived. On December 29th, 2015, Interpol apprehended him at Dubai International Airport, bringing him back to Pakistan. He was taken into custody by the Sindh Rangers on January 30th, 2016, following a physical remand granted by the Sindh High Court's administrative judge for the Anti-Terrorism Courts. He was held at the Mithadar hostel in Karachi under Rangers' custody. In February 2016, Uzair's wife, Samina Baloch, filed a petition seeking medical examinations and family visits. The long arm of the law finally caught up completely on April 7th, 2020, when Uzair Baloch was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment after a military trial, and sent to the Central Jail Karachi.
The extent of Uzair Baloch's wealth, according to Pakistani media, is staggering. He allegedly owns a four-story mansion in Lyari with an indoor swimming pool, a Dubai residence valued at 1.1 million dirhams, an office in Dubai International City worth 0.5 million dirhams, a bungalow and plot in Muscat totaling 1.5 million dirhams, and property in Chabahar valued at Rs. 10 million. These assets, reportedly registered under the names of close relatives or friends, paint a picture of a criminal empire built on illicit gains. Further adding to this, he is said to possess four Dubai bank accounts holding over 1 million dirhams, vast tracts of land in Chakiwara and Hub worth millions, and access to some of the most expensive weapons and rifles in Pakistan.
Uzair Jan Baloch (Urdu/Balochi ڈاکٹر عزیر جان بلوچ) is a Pakistani gangster, former crime lord and head of the outlawed Peoples' Aman Committee.
== Early life ==
Uzair Jan Baloch was born on 11 January 1970 in Lyari, Karachi. His father, Faiz Muhammad (known as Mama Faizu), was a transporter who originated from Iran's Sistan and Balochistan province. Some members of his family live in Iran and hold dual Iranian-Pakistani citizenship. In 2006, Uzair fled to Iran while escaping an operation against Lyari's street gangs. There, he obtained an Iranian passport and national identity card. In around 2010, his Iranian documents expired and he renewed them.
Baloch started off his career in politics as an independent candidate in the 2001 municipal elections for Lyari's mayorship, but lost to Habib Hassan of the Pakistan People's Party. In 2003, his father was kidnapped for ransom and brutally murdered by Arshad Pappu, son of the Lyari drug lord Haji Lalu. This is said to have marked Uzair's foray into organised crime, as he set out to avenge his father's murder. He initially pursued his father's murder case in courts, but received threats from Lalu's gang. Arshad Pappu happened to be a rival of gangster Rehman Dakait, Uzair's first cousin, with the two involved in a bitter conflict over land and drugs in Lyari. His cousin Rehman invited him to join his gang, and while Uzair initially refused, he later acquiesced as they shared a common enemy. Members of the two gangs started killing each other, with casualties reaching the hundreds. In 2009, Dakait was killed during a shootout with police and Uzair Baloch took over his gang. In 2013, Arshad Pappu and his brother Yasir Arafat were eventually kidnapped by Uzair's gang, tortured and beheaded. Their corpses were paraded before being burnt, and the ashes dumped in a sewer. Uzair Baloch and his associate Baba Ladla reportedly played football with the severed heads. The Friday Times quoted Baloch as having said: "It is karma – what goes around comes around", referring to the avenging of his father's murder.
== Activities and arrests ==
In 2003, Uzair was arrested by a Sindh police SP Chaudhry Aslam but was later released on bail due to his links with politicians. After the encounter of Rehman Dakait, Uzair became the new gang leader and was involved in many criminal activities. He also became chief of Peoples Aman Committee. Uzair also had links with Pakistan Peoples Party and was protected by PPP until 2012. In June 2014, Sindh Government issued his red warrants and head money of Rs.2 million. He was wanted for more than 50 cases of extortions, target killings of policemen and gang members. Uzair left Pakistan after his red warrants were issued. On 29 December 2015, he was arrested by Interpol from Dubai International Airport. He was taken into custody by Interpol and was brought back to Pakistan. He was travelling from Muscat to Dubai. On 30 January 2016, Sindh Rangers took Uzair into custody after getting his physical remand from Sindh High Court's administrative judge for the Anti Terrorism Courts. He was in Mithadar hostel, Karachi under the custody of Sindh Rangers. In February 2016, Uzair's wife Samina Baloch filed application in the Sindh High Court to seek orders for his medical examination and permission for his family members to meet him. On 7 April 2020, Uzair Baloch was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment and sent to the Central Jail Karachi after the completion of a military trial against him.
== Total assets ==
According to Pakistani media reports, Uzair Baloch owns a four-story mansion in Lyari with an indoor swimming pool, in addition to a house worth 1.1 million dirhams in Dubai, an office in Dubai International City worth 0.5 million dirhams, a bungalow and plot in Muscat worth 0.9 million and 0.6 million dirhams respectively, and a property in Chabahar worth Rs. 10 million. The properties are registered under the names of his close relatives or friends. He also has four bank accounts in Dubai holding over 1 million dirhams, and acres of land in Chakiwara and Hub worth several millions of rupees. He also has the most expensive weapons and rifles in Pakistan.
== See also ==
Umar Farooq Zahoor
== References ==
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