Rangers' powers: PPP Dubai meeting ends without headway

DUBAI: The five-hour long meeting of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leadership on Saturday over Rangers’ policing powers ended inconclusively in Dubai, sources said.

The party leadership will convene another session on the matter today.

The high-level meeting was convened in Dubai and presided over by PPP Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari to discuss the possible extension of Rangers’ power in the province.

According to sources, it was underlined in the session that the reach of Rangers should remain limited to Karachi and not the rest of the province.

Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah and his cabinet members briefed the party leadership about the existing peace and security situation of the metropolis.

The meeting also considered replacing Sindh Home Minister Anwar Sial, sources revealed, although a final decision is expected to be taken today in this regard.

During the meeting, the participants proposed that Rangers activities should be subject to the CM Sindh’s prior approval.

Matters related to the Panama Papers, PPP’s performance in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir polls that were held on July 22, and change in party ranks in Punjab were also brought under discussion.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar is also expected to meet Zardari in Dubai on Sunday.

Dar, reportedly on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s direction, will meet the PPP leader to ease tensions between the two parties.

PPP leader and leader of the opposition Khursheed Shah while speaking to media in Sukhur, said that the party huddle in Dubai didn’t take place for the first time and it is part of the routine.

The opposition leader expressed lack of knowledge over a possible Dar-Zardari meeting.

Rangers have no operational power in interior Sindh, he added.

Former president Zardari especially flew from London to Dubai on Thursday to have consultations with the Sindh CM and with his top aides.

The top leadership of the PPP flew to Dubai yesterday to meet Zardari and discuss critical matters, the most important issue being of the Rangers’stay and reach in Sindh.

Powers of the paramilitary to detain an individual for up to 90 days lapsed on June 15. The Protection for Pakistan Ordinance which allowed the paramilitary to arrest suspects without a warrant lapsed on July 15.

Since 2013, acting under powers bestowed on the paramilitary force under Article-147, the Pakistan Rangers Sindh conducted multiple targeted operations in interior Sindh during which 533 suspects were arrested. Those detained were handed over to the Police and various law enforcement agencies for processing.