- It is yet to be determined who ordered un-requisitioned Rangers to skip ICT’s devised security plan
ISLAMABAD: Rangers’ 19 wing officer commanding (OC) admitted that they have received orders from ‘operational chain of command’ to not let anyone inside accountability court sans ex-PM Nawaz Sharif on October 2, suggested district magistrate ICT’s situational report.
However, it is yet to be determined as to who ordered un-requisitioned OC 19 wing of Rangers through the operational chain of command to not follow the ICT’s devised security plan as well as sealing the court premises.
“The presence of Rangers was not unusual as they have been deployed at every important hearing of Supreme Court, and also during JIT; however, it is to be probed who asked them to do that. For that, the statements of SSP operations, SSP security, IGP, DC, and chief commissioner have been recorded and sent to Interior Secretary. Moreover, further investigation is underway,” said ICT’s official while requesting anonymity.
He further said that Rangers Brig Asif—who is heading the Rangers command—was recently deployed in the capital; after the said incident on Monday, he emerged and offered Daniyal Aziz access to the court. However, Aziz refused the offer.
A day before yesterday, dramatic scenes were witnessed outside the accountability court trying former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in three references after Rangers personnel mysteriously descended upon the Federal Judicial Complex (FJC) and barred everyone, including their minister in-charge, from entering the premises.
According to the report, submitted to the chief commissioner and available with Pakistan Today, it is stated that the Rangers commander had categorically rejected to follow the security plan devised by the ICT administration and the registrar.
As per the chalked out plan, the security of inner cordon, including the security of court premises, was the responsibility of security division, whereas the security of outer cordon was the responsibility of operations division. In addition to that, two vehicles of Rangers were deployed outside for patrolling in the surrounding of the court building. “However, Rangers were not requisitioned by the district magistrate for any kind of security of the accountability court,” reads the report.
It is also mentioned that the district magistrate Islamabad Mushtaq Ahmad received a call from SSP Operations ICT police Islamabad at 7:30am, informing him that OC 19 wing of Rangers has taken over the command of security of the court premises as well as all the gates of the accountability court. All the media personnel and lawyers were removed from the court premises.
Subsequently, district magistrate made contact with the said commander for confirmation and asked him that media personnel, lawyers and a limited number of people, including some federal ministers, shall be allowed inside court premises, as already decided by the ICT administration. However, Rangers’ commander refused to allow the access of any person, except former PM Nawaz Sharif and his lawyer.
On the matter, district magistrate contacted chief commissioner, requesting him to take up the matter with senior operational command of Rangers for making the arrangements smooth as per the SOP decided at the meeting of the registrar.
It is noted that the district magistrate reached the venue at 8am and met the commander, conveying him the decision and directions of ICT administration regarding allowing media, lawyers and ministers.
“[Then] Rangers’ commander stated that he has received orders from his operational chain of command that no one will be allowed inside the court premises, except [ousted PM],” the report adds.
It is pertinent to mention here that on Monday, senior ministers and politicians were barred from entering the court premises, reacting to which, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal made a dramatic entry and walked up to the pedestrian gate of the complex, where he was informed that the door had been padlocked from inside.
He then asked to speak to the Rangers’ commanding officer, but no one came out to meet the minister at the main gate. This led him to deliver a fiery speech outside the court premises, where he openly expressed his displeasure.
“Whoever did this would either face strict disciplinary action or else I will resign as interior minister, because I cannot work as a puppet,” he declared, adding that no one would be allowed to challenge the writ of the civilian government. “There cannot be a state within a state,” he concluded.
Apart from Ahsan Iqbal and his state minister Talal Chaudhry, paramilitary officials also stopped senior politicians such as Raja Zafarul Haq, Pervaiz Rashid, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Daniyal Aziz, Irfan Siddiqui, MNAs Malik Abrar, Mian Javed Lateef, Maiza Hameed, Islamabad Mayor Sheikh Ansar Aziz and former MNA Anjum Aqeel, as well as several law officers of the federal government.
Subsequently, a letter written by SSP (Operations) Sajid Kiyani to Deputy Commissioner Capt (retd) Mushtaq Ahmad surfaced, in which the SSP requested the DC to approve the deployment of 200 Rangers officials in the vicinity of the judicial complex, saying that the Rangers officials will not be directly involved in dealing with the public during their duties with Islamabad police.
However, the deputy commissioner then claimed that no such request was entertained; instead, it was turned down.
Several attempts were made to contact Sajid Kayani and Mushtaq Ahmad, but both did not respond.
