Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah on Monday lauded Rangers for restoring peace in Karachi but lambasted the federal government in the same breath for what he called creating 'unnecessary controversy' on the paramilitary force's powers in the metropolitan. Speaking on a point of order in the National Assembly, he assured the Lower House the Rangers would be given full powers to go after criminals in Karachi and urged the government not to threaten the Sindh government.
"If you have any video proof (against Dr Asim Hussain), bring it in the public. But, let me tell you there are some more videos as well including Rana Mashood's (a Punjab minister) and others'," he said alluding to Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan's press conference.
He asked the centre not to "threaten" the Sindh government with emergency or governor's rule as things would spiral out of its control if it materialise the threats. "We don't know about the extent of prime minister's role in Chaudhry Nisar's press conference. But when we indulge in blame game, we are shown the doors," he said. He said the PPP was not a hurdle in extension of Rangers powers in Karachi. The PPP stalwart also criticised the National Accountability Bureau for targeting Sindh only.
Whenever politicians fight with each other, someone else takes advantage of it, he said, adding the prime minister has suffered a lot during the course of time and he would definitely be careful in taking any decisions. He said the Rangers should be lauded for restoring peace in Karachi and "we give this credit to them." The PPP has sacrificed Layari, its stronghold in the metropolitan, for the sake of peace, he said, adding the Sindh government would continue going after criminals and target killers.
He urged all the institutions to work honestly while remaining in their constitutional limits as overstepping could be dangerous for the federation. Speaking on the issue, ANP MNA Ghulam Ahmad Bilour also lauded struggle and sacrifices of the Rangers for peace in Karachi but urged them to work under the civilian control. "All institutions should work for betterment of the country and stop hatching conspiracies against each other," he said.
Awami Muslim League chief Shaikh Rashid said the issue of Rangers' powers in Karachi could be settled through negotiations instead of criticising one another. "At the moment, public is firmly standing behind the armed forces and the PPP should realise it for betterment and peace of Karachi," he said. Responding to all these points, Federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions General Abdul Qadir Baloch (Retd) said the Sindh government should not make issue of the Rangers powers in Karachi as a matter of its ego.
"If the Rangers are withdrawn from Karachi, the whole system would collapse," he said, adding the presence of 14,000-strong Rangers personnel in the metropolitan is a guarantee for peace and stability. The minister said the Sindh government should also make sincere efforts to enhance capacity of the police; so that gains made by the Rangers could be sustained in the long run.
"If there is an allegation of corruption on somebody and it is also corroborated with evidence, then action should be taken," he said. He urged the Sindh government not to delay the Rangers matter further as law and order is a serious issue and could also result in chaos and anarchy if inordinate delay is made to settle it.