Rabbani alleges Islamabad of interfering in provincial matters

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Monday said that repeated meetings of the federal government of PML-N over Karachi law and order was an interference in Sindh’s provincial matters.

Speaking during the session of the upper house of Parliament here, he asked Senator Farhatullah Babar of his party to table an attention notice in the house over DG Rangers’ recent report regarding Karachi’s black market. Rabbani also urged a government response on the issue by June 17.

Earlier, Senator Babar tabled an adjournment motion in the house over Rs230 billion illegal money collected in the Sindh capital. He criticised the Rangers paramilitary force for not disclosing names of political elements allegedly being part of the massive corruption scam.

Babar said Rangers were called in Karachi for a period of merely four months. However, after passage of over two years they are still carrying out the operation, he added.

The PPP leader went on to say that the house had passed the controversial protection of Pakistan bill, which he said gave immense powers to the Rangers that were now being exercised.

State Minister for Interior Balighur Rehman, on the occasion, said that Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah was made ‘captain’ of the Karachi operation. He vowed to apprise the house of details regarding the DG Rangers’ statement.