PM aims to defuse Centre-Sindh feud over Rangers powers

Will try to persuade Qaim to coordinate with federal govt over Karachi operation

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is aiming to diffuse the prolonged tussle between the federal and Sindh governments during his daylong visit to Karachi on Monday (today).

While the provincial administration seeks conditional policing powers for the Rangers in Karachi — where the paramilitary force has been engaged in a targeted operation since September 2013 to clear the city of criminals — the Centre has turned down the request and notified a 60-day extension in the Rangers’ authority as per the previous arrangement.



The Centre rejected the Sindh Assembly resolution for clipping the Rangers powers as well as the provincial government’s subsequent letter in favour of the move, leading to a bitter disagreement between the two administrations.

Nawaz, however, hopes to defuse the row. According to the PM House, the premier would have three official engagements in Karachi: he would review the pace of work on various development projects of the Port Qasim Authority, inspect the site of the Port Qasim power project and address the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industries.

Sources said the federal government has decided to politically engage the Sindh administration in order to defuse heightened tensions over the official extension in the powers of Rangers.

They said senior leaders of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, including the premier, have reached a consensus to continue the Karachi operation at all costs and to support all the law enforcement and security agencies, including the Sindh Rangers, in this endeavour.

An official said PM Nawaz would try to persuade CM Qaim Ali Shah to coordinate with the federal government over the Karachi operation.

The premier will only convey the message that the Centre is on the same page with all the stakeholders over providing special policing powers to the paramilitary force, he added.

Sources also believe that as soon as the Election Commission of Pakistan notifies the election of the Karachi mayor, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement would engage the Pakistan Peoples Party, which rules the province, in a tussle over the mayor’s powers – which, the sources believe, would distract the Sindh government from the Rangers’ issue.



They said the federal cabinet has informed PM Nawaz that the Sindh government has only three options: give up Rangers’ services, move the Supreme Court or accept Centre’s notification.

The first two options do not look that feasible because the provincial administration has a weak case for both, so it should just accept the notification, they added.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 28^th, 2015.