Iran warns Pak against 'vilification campaign' over allegations of links to gangster Uzair Baloch

Fuming over "unfounded rumours", Iran has cautioned Pakistan against a "vilification campaign" launched against it over allegations that Lyari gangster Uzair Baloch had links with Iranian intelligence agencies.

The Dawn quoted a statement issued by the Iranian embassy in Islamabad on Friday as rejecting "unfounded rumours being circulated in some media during recent days about linking the activities of some miscreants with some Iranian organisations".

A Joint Investigation Team (JIT) set up by the Sindh government to investigate Baloch had last year in its report said: "Uzair Baloch was involved in espionage activities by providing secret information regarding army installations and officials to foreign agents [Iranian intelligence officers] which is a violation of the Official Secret Act 1923."

Uzair had in a confessional statement said that he had met an Iranian intelligence official in Chabahar, who had asked him to provide information about Pakistani military officials and Karachi's security environment, reports the Dawn.

The embassy said "dissemination of such baseless" material was aimed at turning public opinion against Iran.

"It goes without saying that such untrue stories are not commensurate with trajectory of expanding bilateral relations in all spheres between two friendly and brotherly countries of Iran and Pakistan," the embassy said.

A 13-page self-written confessional statement of Baloch emerged hours after Inter-Services Public Relation (ISPR) confirmed on Wednesday that Baloch has been taken into military custody under Pakistan Army Act / Official Secret Act - 1923 On charges of espionage (Leakage of sensitive security information to foreign intelligence agencies).