Uzair Baloch, who took on the mantle of the powerful Rehman Baloch aka Dakait’s group after his death, has been a central figure in the neighbourhood, which has been a traditional constituency of the PPP. But as the bullets flew between the police and resistance for a fifth day, Uzair’s anger took a nasty turn:
“We will oppose Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari if he contests the election from Lyari.”
Uzair said that he was affiliated with the Pakistan Peoples Party no more and in the next polls they would stand against it. “We are really tired of supporting imported candidates in our area,” he said. For him, Bilawal was neither mature nor conversant with the dynamics of the area’s politics. “How one can assume that a boy will bring about change if he doesn’t even know the language of the people,” he asked.
And now, he is seeing which other party to join and stresses that he has been approached by many and even independent groups.
The operation
As far as the operation to ostensibly cleanse Lyari of ‘criminals’ is concerned, Baloch said that he along with his people would resist to the last breath.
Had Dr Zulfiqar Mirza still been home minister the people of Lyari would never have faced this. “I have many things to disclose, which I will share with media later on,” he said.
Uzair dwelt on the amn committee, which he said was the brainchild of Zulfiqar Mirza and President Asif Ali Zardari who wanted to control crime and start social work in Baloch- and Sindhi-dominated areas of Karachi. “The task was given to Rehman Baloch,” he explained before going on to allege that he was killed on the instigation of Nabeel Gabol and other elected MPAs of the area.
The problem was that crime went down 70% when Rehman Baloch aka Dakait took an initiative against street crime in Lyari and Malir. According to Uzair, this did not go down well with elected representatives who were patronising criminals. Rehman Baloch had to be tackled. For his part, however, Nabeel Gabol said that criminals had been relying on blackmail politics. “We will not let 10 per cent of criminals to rule Lyari,” he said. “Every day they blackmail the government, demanding a quota for jobs and budgets for different schemes,” he added.
“None other but the PPP will win again from Lyari. The people of Lyari will elect Bilawal Bhutto if the party nominates him,” he added.
He refuted Uzair’s stance that President Zardari had drummed up the PAC. “It was a gang of criminals who had taken the initiative to make PAC for their own interests. The PPP has nothing to do with it.”
PPP MPA Saleem Hingoro, who also belongs to Lyari, said that during a meeting with President Zardari at Bilawal House all of the elected representatives of the area had endorsed an operation. And now, not just Lyari, but an operation would be started in other volatile areas of Karachi as well.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 2nd, 2012.
COMMENTS (20)
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They will soon launch their own group announcing to disassociate themselves with PAC
the Days of PPP are numbered in Lyari. It will face tooth and nail resistance. This should happened all over Sindh. It will lead to develop a sense of competition, which will only emerge when people reject the feudal and influential politicians
Those who leave PPP have no chance to win, and with all conspiracies Alliances and distribution of money, agencies could not eliminate PPP. I Believe Blawal will win,
Its too late now Mr. Uzair
Uzair Baloch has done so much for PPP and specially for Zardari government. He has lost so many comrades. This operation is an outrage. In simple words Mr.President has done to Liyari what he did with Baber Awan.
“How one can assume that a boy will bring about change if he doesn’t even know the language of the people,” The same way someone who does know the language of the people brings change. Language is used to express things to other people. If that end is met, the means are meaningless.
He is a criminal... Must not join PTI...
@Moderate Pakistani I Agree with your statement & informing other thing is that Mr. Uzair Baluch will support PPP in next Election but the Criteria is different from him.
We are all Condemn the Operation in Lyari as well any where in Pakistan.
@Uza Syed: sadly you are wrong in Karachi elections are won with bullets or at least the threat of their use on innocent voters if they don't vote correctly
No Place for Criminals...... he should be trialed & hanged !!
that's explains, the gangs have been there for years but why the operation now after all these years. Politically motivated operation in the name of billawal bhutto zardari.
Lyari is giving a message: BB has gone and the legacy of Bhutto is diminishing. While Karachi needs a Bhutto based Lyari to avoid bloodshed otherwise it will be distributed among extremists and they will battle with each other also affecting the other areas of Karachi.
Yes. good decision Tell Bilawal to come to Lyari and give speech in English.
No space for crimnals like Uzair Baloch in PTI. He is a target killer of innocent people.
Would someone, please, explain to this fool that elections are fought with ballot and NOT with bullets.
Is there any accountability of people who while being ministers facilitated the arming of these groups?
Absolutely, just think to join PTI...we knows better sense prevails and you too end up finally in PMLN Inshallah:)
This is what happens when the people vote blindly, driven by dramatic emotions for one particular party continuously for the past forty years. Its good that they have started to realize after forty years that voting for this party has got them nothing but sufferings.
PPP lost its only constituency in Karachi for appeasement of MQM.
You should also join PTI .....Uzair Baloch! Lyari needs a tsunami too!