Policing powers: Rangers given 90-day extension

ISLAMABAD: The federal ministry of interior moved on Monday to extend Rangers’ special policing powers in Sindh for a 90-day period.

The extension in Rangers’ powers was proposed by the government of Sindh.

Pursuant to the request made by Sindh’s Home Department, the powers of Rangers have been extended under Clause (1) of Sub-Section-3 of Section-4 of Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 (XXVII of 1997).

The three-month extension will be effective from October 18 this year, a spokesperson for the federal ministry of interior said.

The powers will remain valid between October 17 this year and January 18 next year.

According to the spokesman, the issue was settled in an amicable manner with mutual coordination of the federal and the provincial government.

“After the chief minister’s approval, the federal interior ministry will write a letter to the Sindh government after which the Sindh home department will issue a notification (to this effect),” the interior ministry’s spokesperson said.

Interestingly, the issue of Rangers’ powers had triggered a controversy in July this year after personnel of the paramilitary force raided the then Sindh Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal’s village in Larkana. After that incident, the PPP-led government refused to accord special powers to Rangers.

Earlier, the controversy over Rangers’ powers surfaced whenever law-enforcement agencies aided by NAB and FIA officials raided Sindh government departments to arrest corrupt officials.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 18^th, 2016.