Nisar writes to Sindh CM for extension of Rangers special powers
Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah on Tuesday said that Sindh Rangers have been given special policing powers only in Karachi, not in rest of the province, as Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Tuesday wrote a letter to the Sindh CM calling for his approval of extension of special powers to Rangers.
“The paramilitary force has no special powers in rest of the province,” the Sindh CM said while addressing a press conference in Larkana.
“These powers were aimed at reducing four most heinous offences i.e. terrorism, target killing, extortion and kidnapping for ransom.”
He said that Pakistan Rangers Sindh were not given policing powers in Sindh during last three years, it was only limited to Karachi. He said the extension in Rangers’ powers, as per the law, is given for 120 days and the Sindh government and the central leadership of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) are yet to decide on the extension of these powers once again.
He went on to say that the law and order situation in Karachi was improving and the provincial government is equipping police with sophisticated weapons.
Meanwhile, DG Rangers Major General Bilal Akbar telephoned Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and held discussion with him on the delay in extension of Rangers’ powers.
Following the discussion with the Rangers DG, Nisar wrote a letter to the Sindh CM urging him to take the decision at the earliest. He stated that unnecessary delay in extension of power to Rangers in Sindh would not only disrupt operation against terrorists, it will also negatively impact the performance of civil armed forces.
In his letter to the Sindh CM, Nisar said it is the common responsibility of both the federal and the provincial governments to remove hurdles and complete the process that started after mutual consensus.
Nisar said Pakistan Rangers have played a vital role for improvement of law and order situation and restoration of routine life in Sindh, especially in Karachi.
The Sindh CM should use his own authority to extend Rangers’ powers in Sindh, he emphasised.
The last time extension had been granted to stay of Rangers in Karachi was from July 20, 2015 till July 19, 2016. The federal govt had granted the extension in stay for another term on the request of the provincial government.
The services of the paramilitary force in the province are invoked by the provincial government for the maintenance of law and order and combating crimes under Article 147 of the Constitution.
Next week, the special anti-terror powers of Sindh Rangers under the Anti-Terrorism Act in Karachi Division only would also come to an end.
The special powers of Rangers to detain terror suspects and accused criminals for 90 days under the amendment in the Ant-Terrorism Law have already lapsed last month.
Touched only one city in the interior of Sind and they all started to howl like jackals. Most of those who commit crimes in Karachi flee into the interior like Kharal who was hiding in the house of the Home Minister. Not only, hundreds of target killers, bhatta khors and land-mafia gang leaders are hiding in the interior of Sind who could not escape out of the country. Obsutructing good job that the Rangers are doing, will be like adding to cime and protecting the criminals.
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