Notification issued Rangers get 90-day extension in Sindh

Ministry rejects provincial govt’s recommendations to curb force’s powers; Sindh law minister denies this

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Interior has turned down the recommendations of the Sindh government to customise Rangers’ policing powers.

The ministry issued a notification to further extend the Rangers’ powers and stay in Sindh for 90 days on Monday.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Interior, the Rangers have been delegated special policing powers under Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997.

The ministry has rejected the proposal of the provincial government regarding extension in the powers under certain conditions and the recommendations of the provincial government have not been made part of the notification.



In response to a summary moved by the Sindh government, the ministry maintained that neither restriction will be stipulated with ATA nor the law changed partially.

“It is necessary that the recommendations of the provincial government should be within the ambit of the law. The suggestions of the provincial government regarding the Rangers’ powers do not fall under the implication of the relevant law,” the statement added.

It was learnt that the Sindh government had moved a summary pertaining to the extension in the paramilitary force’s powers and their stay in the province along with certain customisations.

The provincial government had actually wanted that the Rangers’ powers be kept limited to a few areas, including action against sectarianism, extortion, target killing and kidnapping for ransom.

It was of the view that the paramilitary force should take approval from the provincial government before taking action against suspects of terror financing. According to sources in the Ministry of Interior, it had also sought from the Rangers to seek approval from the chief secretary before conducting any raid on a government office.

However, Sindh Law Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar said the Sindh government has recommended the same powers. It has not suggested any condition to customise the Rangers policing powers in the province.



He said no notification of the federal government regarding Rangers powers has yet been received by the Sindh government.

It is pertinent to mention that the Sindh Cabinet on Saturday had decided to extend the special policing powers of the paramilitary force in Sindh for 90 days.

The special policing powers granted to Rangers in Karachi, for a period of three months, had expired on April 14.

The special policing powers under the ATA, 1997 allow the Rangers to carry out raids and arrest suspects without any customisation.