Breach of privilege: Three senators to probe raid on Thanvi’s seminary

Rangers deny carrying out any operation at religious school

ISLAMABAD: A Senate panel has formed a sub-committee to investigate the raid carried out by the Rangers at a seminary run by MQM’s Senator Tanveerul Haq Thanvi last year.

The committee on Rules of Procedure and Privilege on Monday constituted a three-member panel that will visit Karachi after the permission of Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani to complete an inquiry of the complaint.

The panel is headed by Senator Attaur Rehman and includes Nighat Mirza and Saeed Ghani as members.

On January 14, Senator Thanvi had moved a motion against Sindh Rangers accusing the parliamentary force of conducting a raid at his Jamia Ehteshamia Madrassa in Karachi while he was abroad performing Hajj in Saudi Arabia.

Rules of Procedure and Privilege Committee Chairman Dr Jahanzeb Jamaldini took up the matter on Monday.

The interior ministry’s additional secretary, Tariq Mehmood, told the committee the ministry had received a written statement from the Rangers denying they had launched any raid at Thanvi’s seminary.

The official said the parliamentary force in its written reply stated a general crackdown was carried out in the Jacob Lines area of Jamshed Town after the Rangers received information on suspected criminals.

Tariq told the committee that a Rangers official could come to the meeting next time if it was necessary to clarify the situation.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 26^th,  2016.