PPP takes exception to Nisar’s statement over Rangers’ powers

Babar says taking the matter to Sindh Assembly shouldn’t surprise anyone

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Saturday expressed dismay over the manner in which Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has sought to equate the criticism of a federal force overstepping its mandate with ridiculing the force itself and portraying it as undermining the operation against militancy.

“Karachi operation was launched on the recommendation of and with the support of the Sindh government and it had also been decided that the mandate of the Rangers will be determined by the Sindh government,” said the PPP spokesman Senator Farhatullah Babar in a rejoinder to press conference of Chaudhry Nisar.

Farhatullah Babar said as already stated by Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah on Friday, the Rangers’ mandate was to curb four distinct crimes namely terrorism, targeted killings, kidnapping for ransom and extortion. He said in several ways the rangers performed this assigned role in a commendable manner. “However, the issue arose when Rangers overstepped their mandate and began assuming jurisdiction in cases of alleged corruption beyond the four identified and agreed parameters,” he said.

Babar said the decision of the Sindh government to take the issue to the provincial assembly, when it had not done so in the past, should not surprise anyone. He said there had been no controversy in the past over the overstepping of mandate and therefore no need to take it to the assembly. “But now that a controversy has arisen it should not surprise anyone if the government has decided to take the matter to the provincial assembly for broad based consultations,” he added. He said the assertion that the Sindh government’s objections have arisen just because of one person amounts to obscuring the real issue.

Babar said the real issue is the growing perception of misuse of powers and going far beyond the lawful mandate regardless of whether it affects a few or many individuals. He said it will not help anyone, indeed it will undermine the ongoing operation, if the perception of overstepping of powers by a federal institution in a province is not addressed. “It is unfortunate to describe reservations against overstepping the mandate as undermining or ridiculing the Rangers,” he added. He said the PPP has always respected and paid homage to the sacrifices rendered by the valiant armed forces, Rangers, paramilitary forces, civilian law enforcing agencies, police and innocent civilians in the fight against terror. “The nation salutes them all,” he added.

The PPP senator said corruption also is an issue that needs to be addressed most forcefully, but it must be done by the legal institutions duly mandated and set up for the purpose. He said an important instrument for exposing and fighting corruption is the Right to Information Law. “Unfortunately the draft law already endorsed by all stakeholders and approved by the Senate Committee on Information about two years ago has still not been approved by the cabinet for bringing it before the Parliament,” he added.

He said it is pertinent to mention that the Ministry of Defence had objected to the RTI law by asking the Parliament committee not to make the law without a No Objection Certificate from it.

Babar said the threat of making public documentary evidence to malign some individuals may be politically tempting but it is counterproductive. “Who knows the PPP may also have some solid documentary evidence but which it may not be too willing to reveal at this time in the interest of ongoing national fight against militancy and criminal syndicates,” he said.