PM phones Sindh CM, discusses Rangers’ issue

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif late on Sunday evening made phone call to Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah and sorted out a dispute with regard to the extension in the deployment of the Rangers in Karachi.

Highly placed sources told The News that both the governments have decided not to flare up the situation further as the Sindh government would seek a requisition of the Rangers services today (Monday). Both the chief executives have decided to ask their ministers to desist from issuing provocative statements.

The prime minister who returned from Uzbekistan in the evening discussed the situation with his close aides, including Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Secretary Fawad Hasan Fawad. He decided to have talk with the chief minister in the light of his discussions.

The prime minister invited the chief minister to Islamabad on Wednesday to thrash out the situation further. The sources said that the call made by the premier has greatly helped in trouble-shooting and a showdown has been averted. The chief minister complained about the conduct of the federal agencies and the sources said that the prime minister assured him that no one would be allowed to commit excess and he would like to review the overall situation before making any commitment about anything.

He made it clear to the chief minister that the operation in Karachi would proceed without any let-up and his government would not make any compromise on the question of the eradication of terrorism and extremism.

The sources said that the chief minister has assured the prime minister that the issue regarding the Rangers would be sorted out in the light of his advice.