If Rangers found guilty, action will be taken against them: PM

Abbasi says he is willing to host grand national dialogue on the issue of NAB chairman’s appointment


News Desk October 04, 2017
Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. PHOTO: REUTERS / FILE

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that the recent controversial deployment of Rangers outside an accountability court in Islamabad would be investigated and whosoever ordered deployment of paramilitary troops would be punished.

“It’s not clear who gave what orders. The judge asked the Rangers commander present on the court premises … but it’s not clear who ordered their deployment and who directed them to close the doors and not let anyone in,” Abbasi said in an interview with Javed Chaudhry in Express News show Kal Tak.

“Action will be taken according to the law against anyone found guilty,” the premier said when he was asked if Rangers commander Brigadier Asif would be punished if he was found involved.

“He can produce the order if the judge ordered the deployment,” he added. “Better to see it as an administrative matter and not in some other perspective.”

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Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal was left incensed when the Rangers had denied him entry into the accountability court during the hearing of a corruption reference against deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday.

Calling it a ‘state within the state’, Ahsan said he would step down if he couldn’t find out who had ordered the Rangers deployment. Interestingly however, Premier Abbasi said he didn’t see “any state within the state”. He added that Ahsan made the statement in frustration because the court doors were never shut on anyone.

When quizzed if he had taken up the matter with army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, the premier responded in the negative. “This is not relevant to the army chief. It comes under the purview of the interior minister. The Rangers report to him. It is he who will investigate the issue,” he added.

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Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi also said that he was ready to host a grand political dialogue to discuss the various challenges that the country was currently facing.

The Prime Minister also described the current NAB law as a ‘black law’ and said there was a need to change it.  “The NAB law was introduced by General Musharraf - a dictator - to put a check on some politicians.” He added that the current NAB law was perhaps the only law in the world under in which the accused have to prove that they are innocent.

Responding to a question about the appointment of a new Chairman NAB, Abbasi said the consultation regarding it was already underway.

Talking about deposed PM Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister Abbasi said the party leaders and workers wanted him to continue to lead the party.

The Prime Minister also rejected the view that Elections Bill 2017 was passed in a hurry, and maintained that the bill, before its passage through the house, was discussed in detail for months at the different committees and sub-committees.

COMMENTS (1)

Haji Abbas | 6 years ago | Reply In more aspects differences are here yours all people not against us nor our all people against you.yours radical groups like shivsina some other BJP govt .what problems you have to open nos consulate in afghanistan only for smuggling poppy to east Asia middle East;west Africa under cargo plane American flags You need funds nothing other Israel relation with clear part to intervene to destablise Pakistan ,Iran relation so attacks on IRGC in Iran through by popy crops $ billions revenue and Israel funding .you not allow Behar province people for labour work in Maharashtar province. In youts Gujarat farmers suicide when heavy rain destablise their crops .Pakistan not imported or hire Mr.kalbhoshan here .we know conspiracy ,with yours citizens lower caste and uper caste .here in Pakistan you come to see open merit for all muslims non muslims in education institutes and in job.
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