Restricting jurisdiction: Assembly to decide on special powers for Rangers

Decision to take matter to Sindh Assembly made in a meeting at Bilawal House

KARACHI: Sindh government has decided to take up the issue of special powers to the Rangers in the Sindh Assembly.

All Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lawmakers have been asked to come to Karachi as soon as possible, even those who are out of the country. An official privy to the developments told The Express Tribune that the decision to call an assembly session to discuss the one-year extension in Rangers' special powers was made at Bilawal House on Thursday.

The meeting was called by PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and was attended by Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah and other senior leaders. "A resolution on Rangers deployment will be adopted with conditional policing powers in Karachi division," said a senior official in the Sindh government, adding that the chief minister will also consult PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari.

The deployment of Pakistan Rangers in Sindh and their special powers expired on July 19. The controversy over Rangers powers again started after the Rangers conducted raids in Larkana and cordoned off the house of Sindh home minister Sohail Anwar Siyal during an attempt to locate criminals. Rangers director-general Bilal Akbar had announced that they will pursue criminals in any area of the province. His statement irked the Sindh government ministers and the PPP leaders who questioned the Rangers powers, which are merely confined to Karachi division. The chief minister was of the view that Rangers have no powers to conduct raids and arrest anyone in other districts except Karachi.

Been here before

A similar situation emerged last year when Rangers raided government offices and the provincial government refused to extend their special powers. This matter was dragged to the Sindh Assembly which adopted a resolution giving conditional powers to the paramilitary force. The resolution restrained the law enforcement agencies from taking action against government officers and departments without prior approval from the chief minister and the chief secretary.  The federal government turned down the resolution and gave the Rangers full powers under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 2014, which has expired now.

"The Protection of Pakistan Ordinance and Section 11-EEEE of the ATA was just for two years. These powers expired last month," pointed out Sindh law adviser Murtaza Wahab. "I wonder why the media is not highlighting this issue. How can special powers be given to Rangers by the federal government to arrest people without warrants and put suspects under 90-day custody?"

Unless the president of Pakistan promulgates another ordinance or the federal government passes another law, the Rangers cannot take such actions, claimed Wahab.

Backdoor negotiations

According to an official privy to the developments, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan has started negotiations with the chief minister and the PPP government. "PPP wants assurance on the part of Rangers that no further action will be taken in other districts or against any PPP leader without the approval of the CM," he said. Meanwhile, Rangers have stopped snap-checking in many areas and withdrawn their personnel from Chief Minister House and other VVIP duties, following orders from the federal interior ministry to remain in their camps.  Sindh information adviser Maula Bux Chandio insisted that no one has barred Rangers from operating in Karachi.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 22^nd, 2016.