Rangers policing power in Karachi extended for 90 days

KARACHI: Sindh government has issued a notification, announcing to extend policing powers of Rangers in Karachi for another 90 days.

According to details, the Sindh government has granted an extension of three months to the paramilitary agency for exercising special powers in the metropolis, the notification issued by the provincial home department read.

The government of Sindh has extended the special policing powers of Rangers, under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997,  with effect from October 8, 2018 until January 5, 2019.

On the request of the Ministry of Interior, the Sindh government accorded the extension in the policing powers of the agency in Karachi.

Last year, differences cropped up between the Sindh government and Federal Interior Ministry on the matter of extending policing powers to Rangers.

The then Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali slammed the delay in provincial government’s decision on the matter calling it a deliberate attempt by the Sindh government to politicise and use the matter as bargaining chip with the federal government and blackmailing the paramilitary agency.

Rangers have been actively performing its duties and playing a crucial role in maintaining law and order in the port city.

Earlier in September, Police and Rangers apprehended a number of suspects and also confiscated their weapons during raids in different areas of the metropolis.

Rangers spokesperson told media that weapons and ammunition were recovered from the suspects taken into custody from Sharifabad and Nazimabad, whereas three more suspects were apprehended from other areas of Karachi.

Street criminals, robbers and drug dealers were among the arrested suspects, as per the spokesperson.