Should not exceed their mandate
Syed Qaim Ali Shah, assisted by two provincial ministers, met Nawaz Sharif where Ch Nisar and Ishaq Dar were also present. Both sides presented their views regarding the expansion of the Rangers’ powers in Sindh. While Shah reiterated that the province was well within its constitutional right to restrict these powers, the PM maintained that Rangers would continue their operation in Karachi as before. He also assured that Sindh government would remain in office and Shah would continue to lead the operation as the team’s ‘captain’. The assurance should end surmises about the future of the Sindh government or the powers of Sindh CM.
Nawaz Sharif who had imposed Governor’s rule in Sindh and set up military courts during his second tenure acted more wisely this time. He decided to perform a balancing act between Sindh government and the Rangers. Sharif declined to extend the Rangers’ stay as desired by them for 120 days. Instead he supported Sindh government’s proposal to limit the stay to sixty days. He, however, agreed to allow the Rangers to exercise special powers against the wishes of the Sindh government. While Shah got his dissent recorded, he had the satisfaction of being heard patiently.
The interior ministry has been frequently criticised for its failure to fully implement the National Action Plan (NAP) and for good reason. A perception is however being formed now that the Rangers too need to strictly abide by their four-point scope instead of expanding it further in the name of bringing to justice the financiers and facilitators of the terrorists while unilaterally expanding the definition of terrorism beyond “religious extremism” expressing itself in “sectarianism, extremism and intolerance”. The Rangers have to realise that religious and sectarian terrorism poses existential threat to the security and integrity of the country. Further, the national consensus does not extend beyond this peculiar brand of terrorism which now threatens the entire world. Unless this threat is eliminated totally and completely, diverting energies to any other task would be both wasteful and divisive.
"Carrot and stick" formula applied and that was the only solution even to the dislike of the inept Sind Government and it's controller sitting across the Arabian sea. What is required and important is peace in the Metropolis which earns 70% of country's revenue. Without tackling the issue of helpers, sponsors, financiers and facilitators of the terrorists and their net-work is like firing a shot without a bullet. Some peace and security has been restored in the city with the efforts of the Rangers to the relief of the hostage population, business community and factory workers and factories themselves – let it be continued.
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