Sindh

Paramilitary force investigates 'unknown Rangers' advertisement

DSP Orangi who published ad saying missing persons were taken into custody by 'unknown Rangers personnel’ suspended

Sameer Mandhro October 07, 2015

A file photo of Rangers in Karachi. PHOTO: PPI

KARACHI: Pakistan Rangers Sindh started investigating on Wednesday the publication of an advertisement in local newspapers about missing persons allegedly taken into custody ‘by unknown Rangers personnel’.

The advertisement which sought assistance in tracing the detained persons was published by DSP Orangi Fakhrul Islam of the Sindh Police.

“It is a conspiracy against Rangers’ performance and Karachi’s peace,” said a statement by the paramilitary force.

Terming the advertisement as ‘allegation’ against the agency, Sindh Rangers warned it had a right to take legal action.

In a bid to break the ice, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah said “action will be taken against those who tried to create rifts between Rangers and police.”

The chief minister said there was no clash between the two law enforcement agencies, adding it was an attempt to create differences among them.

Meanwhile, officials of the Sindh Information Department’s (SID) directed not to publish advertisements of missing persons or LEAs unless there is an order from top officials.

Officials said the letter for publishing the advertisement in leading newspapers was written by DSP Islam along with a covering letter by SP Investigation West Latif Siddiqui, who is out of the country on an official assignment.

“We are not responsible for publishing these advertisements,” said an official of the SID. “The issue is not from our end.”

Lateef Siddiqui suspended

Meanwhile, Sindh IG Ghulam Hyder Jamali, on the directives of Sindh Home Minister Anwer Siyal, suspended Siddiqui for creating rifts between the law enforcement agencies.

A senior police official on condition of anonymity told The Express Tribune the publication of the advertisement was a deliberate attempt to create rifts between police and Rangers.

He said the ad was unprofessional and against the standard operating procedure of Sindh Police.

Siddiqui was also affiliated with a political party, the official added.

COMMENTS (5)

zluqman | 9 years ago | Reply I am all for peace in Karachi but the Rangers should also respect and uphold the law. If they start picking up people who subsequently go missing, then there is no difference left. One cannot stop crime by committing a crime.

Jibran | 9 years ago | Reply @Timorlane: This "wadera mindset" excuse is not going to fly anymore. You have used this pretext for quite some time now. Altaf Bhai is going down.

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Timorlane | 9 years ago | Reply Corrupt sindhi rulers of the sinned province and sindhi wadera occupied colony of Karachi are up to to their usual petty sindhi wadera mindset machinations to divert attention from their loot

S.R.H. Hashmi | 9 years ago | Reply According to the report DSP Orangi Fakhrul Islam of the Sindh Police, sent advertisements to newspapers, with covering letter from SP Investigation West Latif Siddiqui, seeking public help to trace some missing persons allegedly picked up by some unknown Rangers personnel who have presumably disappeared without trace. Considering the fact that the matter concerns human lives, the Rangers as well as other agencies should have come to the help of the police to investigate the matter. Instead, the matter has been blown out of all proportions and has been converted into some sort of conspiracy against the Rangers’ performance, motivated by a desire to create rifts between Rangers and police and to adversely affect peace-making efforts in Karachi. Even the Chief Minister, instead of showing concern about the persons who were subject of the report instead chose to subscribe to the conspiracy theory and vowed to take action against those who tried to create rifts between Rangers and police. And for a start, Sindh Information Department’s (SID) directed not to publish advertisements of missing persons or LEAs unless there is an order from top officials as if Deputy Superintendent of Police and Superintendent of Police are of no consequence. Obviously, this is another ugly attempt to hamper independent investigations by police. It is beyond comprehension as to why it has become so difficult for the authorities to accept that it may be a genuine attempt by the police officers concerned to traced missing persons, in the circumstances where MQM often complains about dozens of its workers tortured, killed extra-judicially and made to disappear without trace after being taken into custody. While the vast majority of the law enforcers may be acting strictly within the limits of law, why it has become impossible to accept that some rogue elements among the forces may be following their own agenda, in total contravention of the laid down rules. After all, some time back television viewers saw an unarmed helpless young man begging for mercy and pleading for life being shot dead at close range by Rangers. And when a Rangers official could do this openly and in public view, why it has become so difficult to accept that there could be many more such characters among a force which runs into thousands? Karachi

SHN | 9 years ago | Reply With all due respect to he Rangers, I personally know family friends in Karachi who've been picked up by Rangers due to political affiliation and haven't been heard from in weeks. I'm all for restoring peace in Karachi, but not at the price of snatching the basic human and legal rights of those arrested. If Rangers cannot abide by the laws of the country, then what better are they than those who they are arresting?

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