KARACHI, Feb 4: The Interior Minister, Faisal Saleh Hayat, has defended prolonged presence of para-military forces (rangers) in Sindh to deal with law and order situation. He also differed with the general impression about the existence of the so-called ‘no-go areas’ in the city.

He was talking to newsmen during his visit to Rangers’ headquarters here on Tuesday.

The minister’s remarks came a day after the provincial home minister, on the floor of the Sindh assembly, made public his intention to raise Sindh’s own rangers to combat terrorism and other heinous crimes.

Mr Hayat, who flew into the metropolis following a bomb blast in Clifton area on Monday, described the overall law and order situation in Sindh as ‘satisfactory’.

To a question, he said that the statement of the provincial home minister about the presence of rangers in Sindh had been carried by the press out of context.

He lauded the para-military force’s role in controlling law and order situation and said it would be withdrawn only if and when the provincial government made such a request. He was supportive of the stand taken by the Chief Minister, Ali Muhammad Mahar, the other day.

The federal minister pointed out that the rangers were deployed to reinforce police and other law enforcement agencies in Sindh.

Describing Karachi as the ‘frontline city’ and economic hub of the country. He said that no government could allow the law and order situation in this city to deteriorate.

With regard to the continuing unrest owing to the tribal feud in Sui, Mr Hayat said the government was trying to find a peaceful solution through negotiations. He, however, made it clear that the government would fulfil its responsibility to protect national assets.

The Interior Minister categorically stated that there were no no-go areas in Karachi or elsewhere in Sindh.

When his attention was drawn to the complaints by the MQM Haqiqi leaders that they were being pushed to the wall to accommodate the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Mr Hayat said that the government had no intention to victimize anyone or interfere in the political activities of any group or party.

It may be mentioned here that Muttahida Qaumi Movement had claimed that its rival MQM-Haqiqi had set up ‘no-go areas’ in certain localities to keep activists and supporters of the Muttahida away.

The Muttahida had demanded of the government to open the areas and force the MQM-Haqiqi activists lift their blockade.

The row had heightened tension during the election campaign and afterwards as the two rivals confronted each other.