Disappearance and reappearance: ‘Missing’ KDA director mysteriously comes home

SHC had given police till June 2 to find Jameel Baloch

KARACHI: A day after the Sindh High Court (SHC) gave the police till June 2 (today) to find the 'missing' head of Karachi Development Authority (KDA)'s anti-encroachment cell Jameel Baloch, the official reappeared  on Wednesday under mysterious circumstances.

Police have ruled out the possibility of kidnapping or action from land-grabbers, and instead believe a 'third force' could be behind the incident.

"Chances of [the abduction] being a kidnapping for ransom attempt or an action by groups involved in land grabbing or china-cutting seem rare," District East DIG Kamran Afzal told The Express Tribune. The abductors dropped him near Star Gate close to the airport, he added.



Baloch was kidnapped on May 28 from near his office at Civic Centre when he left his workplace for home in Shah Faisal Colony. His car was found close to the Aziz Bhatti police station the same day.

His family later registered a kidnapping case at the Aziz Bhatti police station against unidentified persons, however, police were unable to trace him.

Following Baloch's disappearance, the KMC had addressed a letter to the SHC chief justice (CJ) to take notice. The KMC's law officer, Sultan Ahmed, had told the SHC on Tuesday that the officer was involved in action against land grabbing, illegal encroachments and china-cutting. While converting the KMC letter into a petition, the CJ had issued notices to the home secretary, IG and others to file comments.

During Tuesday's proceedings, the IG had told the court all efforts were being made for Baloch's recovery, adding that SSP Investigation Zulfiqar Mahar was personally supervising the investigation.

In the reply filed on behalf of the Rangers, it was stated that the paramilitary force had neither detained nor arrested Baloch.

'Land issues'

Baloch has since returned home safely, however, he could not be reached for comments.

In the initial statement to the police, Baloch reportedly said, "After leaving office, I went for Isha prayer at Faraan Masjid near Aziz Bhatti police station and parked my car outside the mosque.

When I came back, a man approached me and asked me to accompany him into a white Toyota Corolla parked next to my car where some senior officers wanted to talk to me.

As I came close he pushed me into the back and men sitting inside tied my hands with rope and blindfolded me. For four days they kept me at an isolated place where one unidentified person would come every day and ask me about land issues."

Published in The Express Tribune, June 2^nd, 2016.