DG Rangers tells Sindh home minister to give up Kharal

Maj Gen Bilal Akbar warns Sohail Anwar Siyal of 'unspecified' action

SUKKUR/ KARACHI: The Rangers have given Sindh Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal a clear message to either give up his alleged associate, Asad Kharal, and his younger brother, Tariq Siyal or face any action that the paramilitary force deems fit.

The message was relayed on Saturday during a meeting among Rangers Director-General Major General Bilal Akbar, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah and Sohail Siyal, who was flown in for the meeting from Larkana on a special helicopter to the CM House.  Sohail has been accused by the Rangers of aiding the  illegal release of Kharal – a junior clerk at Bakrani taluka municipal administration – from the custody of Rangers officials who went to his house on July 12 to arrest him on corruption charges.

Asad has close ties with the Siyal brothers and he allegedly called in favours from them to report his ‘kidnapping’. The local police intervened and arrested the Rangers officials while Kharal escaped.

According to an official privy to the developments, Sohail insisted that neither he nor his brother had anything to do with Kharal’s escape. “I will dig him up if the Sindh home minister does not cooperate with us,” the Rangers DG reportedly warned.

Akbar is of the view that Tariq Siyal’s guards helped Kharal escape even though he is wanted in several corruption cases. He was also upset as the incident humiliated the law enforcers. “This is tantamount to an attack on the Rangers,” an officer quoted the Rangers DG as saying.

Sohail said during the raid the law enforcers were in plainclothes and their vehicles did not have licence plates. “People initially thought it was a kidnapping but the mob later went out of control,” he said. “My family and I have nothing to do with Kharal’s escape.”

Meanwhile, the chief minister tried to play the role of a mediator. “We don’t support any criminals,” he said. “There is a misunderstanding between the Rangers and the police on this issue, which should be resolved.”

Nevertheless, Akbar was unhappy with Sohail’s performance as home minister and, an official source claimed, he left the meeting unfinished. However, a CM House spokesperson denied the Rangers DG left the meeting unfinished. “The meeting focused on other issues besides Kharal,” he claimed.

Shortly after the DG Ranger’s departure, a large number of Rangers men surrounded Sohail’s residence in Larkana and started snap-checks.

Kidnapping of SHC CJ’s son

Sohail is in hot water as PML-Q Central Vice-President Baboo Sarwar Sial on Friday also held a news conference in Larkana and accused the Siyal brothers of harbouring criminals, even those believed to be involved in the kidnapping of Sindh High Court chief justice’s son.

A PML-N leader Baboo Sarfaraz Jatoi, who is also the president of Larkana district bar association, told The Express Tribune over the phone about the alleged involvement of Siyal brothers and Kharal in heinous crimes.

“How is it possible for a low-grade junior clerk to indulge in corruption of Rs500 million and harbour most-wanted criminals without the backing of an influential person?” he asked.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 17^th, 2016.