Top court rejects Rangers plea for policing rights

Paramilitary force had requested SC to allow them to establish separate police stations with prosecution powers

KARACHI:

The apex court has rejected a proposal by the paramilitary Rangers to set up their policing structure in Karachi. Turning down the security force’s plea, the apex court also directed the government to find a legal solution instead to the problems being faced by the Rangers.

The paramilitary force had requested the Supreme Court to allow them to establish separate police stations with prosecution powers and extensions in policing powers on yearly basis to keep the peace in the violence-prone metropolis.



“We observe that the matter needs legislative intervention, which is beyond the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court,” the larger bench stated. “We expect the federal and Sindh governments will consider it at the level of the Apex Committee to find a solution to the matter.”

The three-member bench, headed by Justice Amir Hani Muslim and comprising Justices Sheikh Azmat Saeed and Khilji Arif Hussain, was hearing the Karachi law and order suo motu case at the Karachi Registry on Thursday.

With the apex court resuming proceedings this week after a 20-month lapse, the paramilitary force had blamed the provincial government of attempting to limit its legal powers against terrorists, their financers and abettors. The Rangers also accused the police for faulty investigations which led to the release of 1,100 suspects rounded up during the Karachi operation ongoing since September 2013.

The force already enjoys special policing powers delegated to them under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997 extended every 90 days.



The Sindh government had opposed the proposal observing it required extensive constitutional and legal intricacies. The administration also argued the force’s proposal almost suggested creating a parallel system of criminal justice and hence required considerable evaluation and scrutiny.

But the Rangers counsel, Shahid Anwar Bajwa, once again made a request on behalf of the force that was turned down by the judges, observing the matter needed legislative interventions beyond the court’s jurisdiction.

They expected, however, the federal and provincial governments will consider the proposal at the apex committee level to find a solution.


Published in The Express Tribune, March 11^th, 2016.