Punjab government swallows the bitter pill
Punjab Government and the equally reluctant Federal Government have finally agreed to deploy the Rangers in Punjab. The deployment had been consistently opposed citing the ability of the Punjab police and CTD to bring the terrorists under control. Despite several devastating attacks taking place in the province both before and after the adoption of the NAP, the PML-N leadership stood firmly against the deployment of Rangers with policing powers. The opponents of the PML-N maintained that the reluctance was due to fear that some of the PML-N figures and ruling party’s allies might be arrested on account of shady connections.
It is difficult to believe that the change of heart was caused by the terrorist attack at Charing Cross, killing 13 including two senior police officers. Eleven months earlier 74 people had died in Iqbal Park suicide attack while months before that Punjab Home Minister Shuja Khanzada had been killed in a bomb blast. The two incidents had failed to convince the government of the need to induct Rangers. Something happened at the Apex Committee meeting on Sunday – may be some confidential report or strong pressure from quarters that matter – that forced the government to reverse its policy.
The 2,000 Rangers being deployed have the powers to register a case, arrest and interrogate suspects, enter any premises without warrants, use necessary force after giving warning and conduct raids without informing the police. They have been initially given 60 to 90 days with no sunset clause indicating a firm date by which they must pack up and leave.
These are extraordinary powers. The Rangers are expected to use them sparingly. Henceforth the Rangers, more than the police, will be answerable for any negligence leading to a terrorist incident. The induction of the Rangers for policing the province is an aberration necessitated by the lack of performance by the police. One expects the Rangers to deal with the terrorists and their helpers without cherry picking and complete their task in the shortest possible period.