KARACHI: The Sindh government on Tuesday moved to consolidate its position amid the ongoing debate on its strained relations with the Pakistan Rangers when Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah insisted that the paramilitary force was given powers only to establish peace in Karachi and not to operate in the whole province.

He also said that “investigations” were going on to determine whether the paramilitary force had moved beyond its power in the Asad Kharal affair in Larkana. The chief minister’s stance emerged challenging the paramilitary force’s viewpoint about the powers as Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, director general Maj Gen Bilal Akbar had asserted only a few days ago that Rangers could move in any part of the province to chase criminals using their special powers given under the defined laws.

“One should say that the Rangers are here to assist the police in maintaining law and order,” he said while speaking at a press conference in Larkana. “The Rangers were given powers for four heinous crimes — terrorism, targeted killing, extortion and kidnapping for ransom. They were authorised under certain circumstance to curb these crimes. Furthermore, they were given powers to operate only in Karachi and not in the entire province.”

Relations between the Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, and the Pakistan Peoples Party became strained last week when the paramilitary force accused “influential persons” of intervention while suspect Asad Kharal was being questioned for allegedly helping criminals in Larkana. Mr Kharal is said to be a close aide of Sindh home minister Suhail Anwar Khan Siyal and his family.

The ties between the two sides plummeted further the next day when the paramilitary force cordoned off the provincial home minister’s residence in Larkana after the Rangers chief’s assertion that the force could go after criminals anywhere under the laws. The fresh statement by the chief minister suggests that the situation had not normalised yet as he counted on success of the Sindh police and measures for their capacity building while claiming recent stable law and order in the province.

“Our police have achieved several successes while putting its hundred per cent into maintaining law and order,” he said. “That’s why we have taken a number of measures to make this institution at par with recent challenges. We have been acquiring technology and equipping our police with latest arms and ammunition for better and effective policing.”

Four hospitals to be built in Larkana

Earlier, he presided over a meeting to review the law and order situation and the development schemes in Larkana. The meeting decided to build four hospitals in the city and upgrade the existing health facilities. The meeting was also told about the Rs225 billion set aside for different development schemes in the province.

The meeting was attended by provincial ministers Nasir Hussain Shah, Suhail Anwar Khan Siyal, Ali Nawaz Mahar, commissioner of Larkana Inamullah Dharejo, DIG Abdullah Shaikh and other senior officers of Larkana. Before the meeting, the chief minister visited Mr Siyal’s house and inquired about details of the incident which took place a few days ago.

Published in Dawn, July 20th, 2016