Sindh extends Rangers’ powers for 90 days

Decision taken during meeting of provincial cabinet

KARACHI: The controversy between the Centre and the Sindh government over extending policing powers of Sindh Rangers in Karachi finally ended on Saturday with the latter making a requisition under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) 1997 for three months.

The decision was taken during a meeting of the provincial cabinet at the Chief Minister House under the chairmanship of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah.

The meeting agreed to request the assistance of Rangers within Karachi division under Section 4(2) of ATA 1997 for a period of 90 days starting from April 16, 2017.

The chief minister told the cabinet members that the Sindh High Court has ruled that only the government is authorised to grant extension in the powers of Rangers and not the chief minister alone, so the provincial cabinet, being a government body, can take the decision.

Shah said it took six days to extend the policing powers as the cabinet members were being taken into confidence.

Official sources in the Sindh government told The Express Tribune that the delay was actually due to a controversy between the federal government and the Sindh government over unilateral action of the Sindh Rangers against Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders and government officials.

They said Sindh Rangers Director General Bilal Akbar has informed the CM that the close aides of PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari are not in the custody of Rangers. The DG has also assured that the government’s grievances regarding raids will be resolved.



A few members of the cabinet meeting floated the idea to give Rangers special powers under the pattern of the Punjab government where the counter-terrorism department and police has to be taken into confidence before conducting any raids.

The CM, applauding Rangers effort in Karachi to maintain peace, turned down the members’ notion and said that Rangers will continue to exercise the same powers as it had been in the past in Karachi.

Shah applauded the successful operations against militant wings, extortionists, target killers and terrorists in Karachi.

In the first phase, the government successfully restored peace in the city by focusing on law and order and now reconstruction of the infrastructure of the city has initiated.

Shah said Rangers’ operation against militant wings and banned outfits is also praiseworthy. “The other agencies and police have also done a remarkable job and I will say that it’s good teamwork which has produced congenial results,” he said.

Home Secretary Qazi Shahid Parvez briefed the cabinet about the policing powers.

He said Sindh Rangers is deployed in the province by the federal government on the requisition of Sindh government under Article 147 of the Constitution, lasting for a period of one year, from July 20, 2016 to July 19, 2017.

For the purpose of operation, standing operating procedures were notified by the home department on August 1, 2016 which prescribed the specific role for the Rangers.

It may be noted that Rangers have been deployed on internal duties since 1995 under Article 147 of the Constitution, Section 131-A CrPC and Section 7&10 of Pakistan Rangers Ordinance, 1959.

Sindh Rangers also stood deployed under Section 4(3)(i) of ATA, 1997 within Karachi division to discharge its functions as specified in the act as authorised by the Sindh government, lasting for 90 days from January 16, 2017 till its expiry on April 15, 2017.

Provincial ministers Nisar Khuhro, Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, Manzoor Wassan, Syed Sardar Shah, Syed Nasir Shah, Jam Mehtab and Ziaul Hassan Lanjar appreciated the role of Rangers.

The meeting was attended by provincial ministers, adviser, special assistants and all the concerned senior officers.



Budget Strategy Paper 2017-20

The other agenda of the cabinet’s meeting was the approval of Budget Strategy Paper 2017-20.

Finance Secretary Hassan Naqvi briefed the cabinet about the budget strategy paper. He said with the objective to mobilise own resources and improve public financial management, the Sindh government is implementing `Sindh Public Sector Management Reform Project’ with the assistance of the World Bank.

The chief minister said the budget strategy paper and its approval by the cabinet is one of the Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLIs) under the project. The objective of the DLI is to enhance transparency in budget formulation, allocation and execution.

Naqvi said during the current financial year 2016-17, total revenue, revised, is Rs710.4 billion which includes Rs550.4 billion federal transfers, Rs470 billion revenue assignment, Rs54.9 billion straight transfer, Rs12.2 billion development grants (PSDP and foreign) and Rs133 billion OZT. The provincial revenue has been revised at Rs160 billion which includes Rs78 billion sales tax on services, other taxes receipts Rs70 billion and non-tax revenue Rs12 billion.

The cabinet approved the strategy paper unanimously and appreciated the efforts of Shah for developing financial discipline.

The cabinet also empowered the chief minister to take decisions as government.