Law enforcement: Summary moved to extend Rangers’ powers

Tensions between the Sindh government and Rangers started when force started raids on various government offices

KARACHI: The home department sent a summary on Monday to the chief minister regarding the extension of the Rangers' special powers for 90 days. Policing powers were granted to the law enforcers on October 17, 2016.

Talking to The Express Tribune, home secretary Shakeel Mangnejo said, "We have sent the summary and the powers will be given the law enforcers soon". Officials at Chief Minister House said that the same powers will be given to the Rangers, with no changes.



"The Rangers have to get permission from the chief minister before taking action at government office or arresting any political figure," disclosed a senior official at CM House on the basis of anonymity, adding that the Rangers will not be able to take suspects into custody for 90 days. "The 90-day powers have already expired. These powers were given under Section 11-EE of the Anti-Terrorism Act to detain suspects for three months but this law was passed for just two years and expired last year," said an official requesting anonymity. He added that the Sindh government has asked the federal interior minister to promulgate an ordinance or pass the bill before giving the Rangers 90-day detention powers again.

"Now the Rangers can start snap-checking, conduct operations with the police, arrest suspects and hand over the same to the police within 24 hours," said an additional secretary in the home department.

The power tussle between the Sindh government and Rangers is not new. It started when personnel of the paramilitary force started conducting raids on various government offices, arresting bureaucrats and politicians. The Pakistan Peoples Party-led government refused to extend the powers last year and got a resolution passed in the Sindh Assembly curtailing the paramilitary force's powers and asking them to seek the chief minister and chief secretary's permission before proceeding with high profile cases. But the federal interior ministry, while setting aside the Sindh Assembly resolution, issued a notification from Islamabad asking the Sindh home department to give the same powers to the force.

Additional advocate-general Mustafa Mahesar refuted claims of a current dispute over the powers. "We have discussed this issue with the CM and special powers will be given with effect from Monday," he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 17^th, 2017.