SUKKUR: The Pakistan Peoples Party appeared to have a sense of foreboding about hitherto undisclosed allegations apparently made by banned Peoples Amn Committee chief Uzair Jan Baloch in custody in the United Arab Emirates as Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khurshid Shah said on Saturday that the Lyari gangster was taking his revenge on the PPP for the action against him.

Uzair Baloch, who is in the custody of the United Arab Emirates authorities and the law enforcement agencies are trying hard to bring him back here, had fled abroad after a targeted operation was launched in Karachi against criminals.

After his arrest, there are widespread reports that Uzair Baloch — who is allegedly leading one of the two major gangs in Lyari — reportedly disclosed that certain senior leaders of the PPP were his partners in crime.

Read: Uzair extradition: police team visas to expire soon

Speaking to reporters at his residence, Mr Shah avoided talking about death row convict Saulat Mirza’s allegation against the Muttahida Qaumi Movement leadership.

“I cannot talk about Saulat Mirza, but the case of Uzair Baloch is different,” he said.

He said that Lyari was a PPP stronghold, where the party had launched an operation to restore peace and order. Uzair Baloch had to escape abroad since the noose was tightening around his neck to the targeted operation, he added.

Also read: Opposition leader worries over Uzair’s allegations

Mr Shah said that now he was levelling allegations against the PPP leadership in order to take his revenge.

Governor’s rule

Talking about the rumours of Governor’s Rule in Sindh, the opposition leader said that after the 18th amendment to the Constitution it was quite difficult to impose Governor’s Rule in any province.

He warned if Governor’s Rule was imposed in Sindh, it could also be imposed in other provinces.

He said that according to the Constitution Governor’s Rule would have to withdraw after three months.

Mr Shah criticised the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz for taking credit of the schemes initiated during the PPP government to overcome power shortage in the country.

He said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should see his previous track record with regard to the electricity crisis.

He alleged that the electricity crisis was created by the PML-N government, as it had not been ended despite giving Rs480 billion to clear the circular debt.

He claimed that the law and order situation in Sindh was being improved speedily.

Mr Shah added that the situation in Karachi and Sindh was better than in Punjab.

He said positive results of the Karachi operation were apparent and that the action against criminal elements should continue. He said a criminal was just a criminal irrespective of his party affiliation.

He said that all political parties had mutually agreed to an operation against terrorists throughout Sindh, including Karachi. However, it was the MQM which had demanded an army operation in Karachi, he added.

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2015

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