KARACHI: An antiterrorism court (ATC) on Monday ordered provision of necessary facilities to Uzair Jan Baloch, chief of the outlawed Peoples Amn Committee (PAC), whose custody was shifted from the Karachi central prison to the Mitha Ram sub-jail maintained by the Rangers, after a military court convicted him of spying for foreign countries.

In April, a military court had sentenced Mr Baloch to 12 years rigorous imprisonment after convicting him of spying for foreign countries, according to the prison authorities.

Separately, Uzair was allegedly involved in 59 other cases which were pending trial before different courts of law, they said.

On Monday, the matter came up before the judge of the ATC-VII. Uzair Baloch and others were produced before the court.

The defence counsel for Uzair Baloch moved an application pleading to the judge to order the superintendent of the Central Jail of Karachi and the Mitha Ram sub-jail hostel to provide necessary facilities to Uzair Ali, alias Uzair Jan Baloch, as required under the Pakistan Prison Rules, 1948.

After hearing arguments from the special public prosecutor, the judge ordered: “Superintendent of Central Prison Karachi and sub-jail or sub-jail Mitha Ram Hostel to ensure necessary lawful facilities to the under-trial prisoner (Uzair Baloch) as provided in the relevant provisions of the Pakistan Prisons Rules, 1948.”

In the meanwhile, the court also recorded statement of one witness while the prosecution withdrew two other witnesses.

The court fixed the matter for Sept 7.

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2020