Zardari engages Naik to undo Rangers' powers through judiciary

ISLAMABAD: The interior ministry’s notification dated 25th December extending the Karachi Rangers’ policing powers without any condition has left no option for the Sindh government but to knock at the door of the judiciary for which PPP’s top legal mind Farooq H Naik has been summoned to Dubai by Asif Ali Zardari.

Following the interior ministry’s Dec 25, 2015 notification, the Karachi Rangers have now full authority under the Anti Terrorism Act 1997 to do their policing job without being bothered by the conditions set by the provincial assembly or the government.

“The Rangers are now free to operate even if the provincial government does not issue a notification subsequent to the interior ministry’s notification,” the Sindh government source said, adding that because of this situation, Asif Ali Zardari has got Farooq H Naik involved to look into the option of approaching the judiciary.

The Sindh government had formally told the federal government on Dec 24th that it could not follow the latter’s recent direction on unconditional policing role of Rangers in Karachi, adding that the Centre’s latest move was an attack on provincial autonomy besides a violation of the Constitution.

Sindh added that the Centre’s letter (giving powers to the Pakistan Rangers under ATA) was in complete disregard to the Article 147 of the Constitution and contrary to the resolution passed by the Provincial Assembly of Sindh. “Hence, the Government of Sindh cannot follow the same,” the Sindh government had taken the position.

The interior ministry, which had already rejected the provincial government’s conditional approval to the Rangers’ policing role in Karachi, this time did not respond to the Sindh government’s Dec 24th letter. Instead, it simply issued the notification on 25th Dec to extend the Rangers’ authority for 60 days.

According to the notification, “The powers conferred upon Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) in Karachi Division, under clause (i) of sub-section (3) of Section 4 of Anti Terrorism Act 1997 (XXVII of 1997), are extended for another period of sixty (60) days with effect from 6th December 2015.”

Besides the provincial government, the copy of the notification has been forwarded to secretary to the prime minister, the DG Rangers Karachi and others.

Asim Yasin adds: A meeting of the Central Executive Committee of the PPP has been convened today (Sunday) in Naudero on the eve of the eighth death anniversary of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto in which the PPP’s top leadership will review the situation to make a future strategy whether to use the option of approaching the Supreme Court on constitutional powers of the provincial government of Sindh or use other legal options.—Originally published in The News