ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan Wednesday criticised the Sindh gover
nment for limiting the powers given to the Rangers in the province.
“If the provincial gover
nment does not issue a notification for an extension to the Ranger’s powers, the federal gover
nment will consider its options under the constitution and law,” the minister said. “The Ranger’s can only fulfil their responsibil
ities if no de
lays are made in giving them orders under the Anti-terrorism Act 1997,” the minister said, adding: “The Sindh government’s practice of limiting the Rangers’ powers is against the law.” Nisar said that it wa
s “absurd” that the provincial gover
nment had no reservation in using the Rangers personnel as personal guards, but was not prepared to give them powers to protect the people of Karachi.
“Rangers are not a security company to be hired for the personal protection of VIPs,” the interior minister said. The minister said that the provincial government’s demand to give Rangers’ orders akin to those given by the Punjab gover
nment was illogical. “The reality is that even in Punjab, the paramilitary force has been given orders under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997 without being limited by the federal or provincial governments,&rdquo
; he said.
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