KARACHI: An antiterrorism court has acquitted the outlawed Peoples Amn Committee chief Uzair Baloch in another 11-year-old case pertaining to rioting, assault on police and terrorism.

The alleged Lyari gangster along with his co-accused Zakir, alias Dada, was exonerated from the charges of rioting and attacking law enforcers with intention to kill them during an operation against criminals in 2012 in Kalakot.

The ATC-VII judge, who conducted the trial at the judicial complex inside the central prison, announced his verdict reserved after recording of evidence and final arguments from both sides.

The judge noted that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges against Uzair Baloch and his accomplice and acquitted them due to lack of evidence.

The outlawed Amn Committee chief has been acquitted in around 20 cases so far

He directed the prison authorities to release them forthwith if their custody was not required in any other case.

However, Uzair Baloch, who is facing trial in other criminal cases pending before antiterrorism and sessions courts, is unlikely to be released immediately.

According to the prosecution, an alleged gangster Imran resorted to rioting and firing on law enforcers that led to exchange of gunfire from both sides.

It further mentioned that Imran, who got wounded by the firing of law enforcers and died during treatment in hospital, had allegedly disclosed that Uzair Baloch and Zakir were his accomplices.

A case was registered under Sections 147 (punishment for rioting), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 324 (attempted murder), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 at the Kalakot police station.

The alleged Lyari kingpin is facing trial in dozens of cases pertaining to murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, extortion, and encounters with law enforcers.

So far, he has been acquitted in around 20 cases mainly due to lack of evidence or due to the benefit of the doubt.

In April 2020, a military court had sentenced him to 12 years in jail in an espionage case.

Published in Dawn, January 26th, 2023