NewsFeb 02 , 2016
Sindh govt sends summary to Centre for extension in Rangers’ powers
By Azeem SamarNo conditions this time; Nisar phones Qaim; promises to visit Karachi soon
KARACHI: The Sindh government on Monday sent a summary to the federal government for revalidating the special policing powers of the Sindh Rangers in Karachi for another 90 days.
Earlier, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah approved the official summary requesting the federal government to extend for another 90 days the special policing powers of the Sindh Rangers in Karachi under the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997, sources in the CM House said.
The chief minister approved the summary as special powers of the Rangers under ATA in Karachi are going to end on February 3, 2016 after the expiry of the last two-month validity period of these powers.
The sources confided to ‘The News’ that the Sindh Home Department had earlier moved the summary for extending special powers of the Sindh Rangers in Karachi for another 60 days but the chief minister in his approval converted the proposal of revalidating the special policing powers of the Rangers from 60 days to 90 days.
After the approval, the Sindh Home Department sent its request on fax to the Interior Ministry in Islamabad. The powers to the Sindh Rangers in Karachi are conferred under Section 4 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997.
The sources privy to the affair said that in its fresh request, the Sindh government this time had not laid any sort of emphasis on making special policing powers of the Rangers conditional as was the case last time when the summary had been sent by the provincial government to the federal authorities for the purpose.
The provincial govt had wanted to make special policing powers of the Rangers conditional in the light of the resolution on the issue adopted by the Sindh Assembly on December 15, 2015.
The provincial government had wanted that the provincial authorities should be duly informed, along with seeking permission, before arresting any person while suspecting him as a facilitator of terrorists or before raiding the offices of any government agency in Karachi.
The sources said the breakthrough in the case of revalidating for another term of the special powers of the Rangers in Karachi came as the Sindh chief minister met Corps Commander Karachi Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar on January 29, in which the latter had assured the former to allay the apprehensions and reservations of the Pakistan People’s Party regarding the targeted operation in Karachi.
The sources said that while the Sindh chief minister on Monday evening was presiding over the marathon meeting of the Sindh cabinet at the Sindh Secretariat building, he was contacted via telephone by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.
Qaim Ali Shah in his conversation informed Nisar about his decision to extend the special powers of the Rangers in Karachi for another 90 days.
APP adds from Islamabad: Talking to Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on the phone after a high-level meeting, Federal Minister for Interior Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, meanwhile, said that the issuance of a new notification in next few days would give a strong and positive message about the Karachi operation.
The Sindh chief minister said that his invitation to the interior minister was still intact. Nisar said that he would soon visit Karachi. The minister said that full efforts would be made to remove the reservations of the provincial government.
Courtesy www.thenews.com.pk
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