KARACHI: The Sindh police have constituted a team, led by an SSP rank officer, to take into custody Uzair Jan Baloch who was reportedly arrested earlier this week by Interpol in Dubai, it emerged on Thursday.

Only waiting for a nod from the authorities in Islamabad, the team would fly to the United Arab Emirates to bring back the alleged leader of one of the several gangs operating in crime-infested Lyari.

A senior officer confirmed appointment of SSP Naveed Khawaja to head the police team that would complete the task after meeting all formalities of the Gulf state and Interpol.

“We have prepared ourselves and are ready to move forward,” DIG-South Barrister Abdul Kkhaliq Sheikh told Dawn.

“We have received informal confirmation of his arrest by Interpol in Dubai and are now waiting for the formal one from the authorities concerned like the Federal Investigation Agency or interior ministry. Once it’s received the team would do the rest of the job,” he added.

Uzair Baloch was arrested in Dubai by Interpol when he crossed over into the UAE from Oman by road earlier in the week. His arrest by Interpol hit the headlines here on Monday morning with sketchy details and unconfirmed reports, as the police authorities could not confirm the development by then.

Later in the evening, some police officials confirmed to the media reports about his arrest, citing family sources of the alleged gangster. But they said they were still in close contact with the federal government and the authorities concerned for his custody.

Seen as a major development by the local police investigators, the reported arrest of Uzair Baloch, however, has drawn no word from the federal and provincial authorities. Sources close to the process explained that multiple issues needed to be sorted out before bringing things on record.

“It’s been reported that he [Uzair Baloch] was arrested while he was travelling on a foreign passport,” said one of the sources.

“As you know this case involves nationality of another country that is indeed an anomaly when one pursues the custody of a suspect. Perhaps this issue would have to be resolved before making a formal move regarding his formal arrest in Pakistan.”

It was in May 2012 when the Pakistan Peoples Party government announced the bounty on ‘the most wanted criminals’ of the troubled Lyari neighbourhood. Uzair Baloch carried a prize of Rs2 million on his head. The head money notification, however, was withdrawn a month before the May 2013 general elections.

After the launch of the Rangers-led targeted operation in Karachi in September 2013, Islamabad on a request of the Sindh government in June 2014 approached Interpol to issue red warrants for Uzair Baloch and Noor Mohammad alias Baba Ladla. The latter was once Uzair’s close aide who later became his rival. The 37-year-old alleged leader of one of the gangs is mentioned as ‘wanted’ on Interpol website ‘by the authorities of Pakistan for prosecution’ for ‘murder charges’.

“The police of south zone, where Uzair is wanted for most of the crimes, would take his custody for further judicial process and that’s why we have made arrangements on our end. Since the police are not mandated to get through with the Interpol directly, we are waiting for a nod from the right official forum,” said DIG Sheikh.

Published in Dawn, January 2nd, 2015