close
Friday March 29, 2024

Bilawal, Qaim discuss Rangers-Sindh govt row

By our correspondents
July 22, 2016

KARACHI: As the row between the Sindh government and the Rangers over the special policing powers of the paramilitary force is yet to be resolved, the Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Thursday met Chairman of the ruling PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari at the Bilawal House to discuss important issues pertaining to governance in the province.

Sources privy to the meeting said the Sindh chief minister briefed the chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party on the July 13 controversial incident in Larkana, which again caused a friction between the provincial authorities and the Rangers.

Bilawal Bhutto reportedly directed the CM to resolve the issue of special policing powers of Rangers in accordance with the provisions of law and the Constitution.

The sources said the Sindh CM would soon apprise the prime minister and the federal interior minister about the issue of federal agencies interfering in the domain of the provincial government in Sindh.

It was also learnt that the Sindh CM would soon fly to Dubai to apprise the Co-chairman of PPP Asif Ali Zardari regarding the issue concerning the special powers of the Sindh Rangers in Karachi under the Anti-terrorism Act.

It was learnt that the Sindh government, in the very near future, would issue a notification for recommending to the federal government to extend for a fresh term the stay of Sindh Rangers in the province in aid to civil administration and police for combating crimes and controlling law and order situation.

The notification would be issued in accordance with the Article-147 of the Constitution. Both terms of special policing powers of Sindh Rangers in Karachi under the Anti-terrorism Act and the stay of Rangers in the province in aid to police and civil administration came to an end on 19 July, 2016. The Sindh government is yet to issue the notifications for recommending to the federal government to extend both the terms concerning special powers and stay of Rangers in the province.

A session of the Sindh Assembly could also be convened by the end of this month or by the beginning of the next month to get the decision of provincial government to grant an extension in stay of Rangers in the province endorsed by the provincial legislature as per the Constitution.

The 18th Constitutional Amendment requires endorsement of such an executive decision of the provincial government from provincial legislature.In this regard, all MPAs of the PPP in Sindh Assembly have been asked to ensure their presence in the country in the coming few days and to remain in contact with the CM House, the parliamentary leader and chief whip of the ruling party in the Sindh Assembly.