KARACHI, Pakistan: The Sindh Assembly on Wednesday passed a resolution, extending Rangers’ stay in the province but putting conditions on its special powers to raid and arrest the suspects.
The Sindh Home Minister Sohail Anwar Sial presented the resolution on the floor of the Assembly amid strong protest by the opposition members.
The resolution, which was approved by the House, was criticized by opposition members who claimed that Rangers powers had been curtailed by the Sindh government.
The opposition members, including Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) staged a walkout from the assembly to register their protest against the provincial government.
The following is the text of the resolution: “Whereas the Government of Sindh has entrusted certain functions to Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) to act in aid of civil administration and police:
`And Whereas the Proviso of Article 147 of the constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan makes it mandatory for all such decisions of the Government of Sindh to be ratified by the Provincial Assembly within sixty (60) days;
‘And Whereas the law and order situation in general has improved due to the joint efforts of Sindh Police and Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) and the Sindh Government is appreciative of the efforts and the sacrifices made by the officers and jawans of both the law enforcement agencies;
`Now therefore the decision of Sindh Government dated 16.07.2015 bearing No. SO(LE-I)/6-66/2015 regarding deployment of Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) for a period of twelve (12) months in aid of police and civil administration for maintenance of law and order is hereby ratified, subject to the following conditions:
- That Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) will have powers in respect of the following only.
a) Target Killing
b) Extortion/Bhatta
c) Kidnapping for Ransom
d) Sectarian Killing
- That any person, who is not directly involved in terrorism and is only suspected of aiding and abetting terrorists or by way of terror financing or facilitating terrorist shall not be placed under preventive detention under any law without prior written approval of the Government of Sindh i.e. Chief Minister. It is clarified that in case a person is suspected of the above, cogent reason with complete evidence justifying such preventive detention shall be provided to Government of Sindh, which will based on the available evidence, approve or reject such proposal of preventive detention.
- That Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) shall not raid any office of Government of Sindh or any other Government Authority without prior written approval of the Chief Secretary, Government of Sindh.
- That Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) shall not assist any other institution/ organization apart from Sindh Police in carrying out its actions as stated in Clause 1 above.
- That it is further resolved that the Government of Sindh whilst granting any powers to Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) and Sindh Police shall take into account all of the above conditions’.
Source: APP
