KARACHI: The Rangers have shifted the custody of chief of outlawed Peoples Amn Committee Uzair Jan Baloch from Karachi central prison to the Mitha Ram hostel sub-jail reportedly due to security concerns, an antiterrorism court was informed on Monday.

The information was provided in a letter submitted by the central prison’s senior superintendent to the ATC-VXI judge during the hearing of a case pertaining to murder and terrorism registered at the Pak Colony police station in 2013.

On the last date, the court had issued the production order for the alleged Lyari kingpin.

In its reply to the production order, the prison official stated that the convicted prisoner (Uzair Baloch) could not be produced in court as he was shifted from the central prison to the Mitha Ram Hostel near Pakistan Chowk on the direction of the Sindh home department.

Home dept declares Rangers’ facility as sub-jail; ATC is told jail official shall supervise the sub-jail

It further stated that in view of the abovementioned contention, the court was requested to issue another date of hearing so that Uzair Baloch could be produced.

The judge, who is conducting the trial in the judicial complex inside the central prison, reissued Baloch’s production order for July 13.

Earlier, on June 9, the provincial home department had reportedly issued a notification stating that in consideration of reports about security concerns the government had notified the facility on the premises of Pakistan Rangers’ Mitha Ram Hostel as a sub-jail to keep safe custody of the Lyari gangster.

It had mentioned that the officials nominated by inspector general of prisons shall be responsible for supervision and administration of the sub-jail and the Rangers and police shall be responsible for its external security.

It said that the paramilitary force and the law enforcement agency shall take all possible security measures to avert any chance of criminal act or threat to the inmate and the staff posted with him at the sub-jail.

Published in Dawn, June 16th, 2020