THE plaint made by the director-general Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, on Wednesday that the paramilitary force he commands does not have the requisite powers to maintain durable peace in Karachi is open to debate. This newspaper has argued in the past that the Rangers, originally meant to patrol the country’s frontiers, help the army during wartime and come to the aid of civil power, are not trained to counter urban crime and terrorism. However, the Rangers’ chief feels that the ‘limited rights’ his force enjoys to carry out raids and make arrests is inhibiting the Rangers’ ability to bring peace to Karachi. The paramilitary force has been in this troubled metropolis for over two decades and has thousands of troops stationed in the city. Yet its record of quelling violence is mixed and it has also been censured for the killing of unarmed civilians. While it may be a fit force for the battlefield, the Rangers’ record in Karachi leaves a lot to be desired. Hence we feel any attempt to give the force greater, sweeping powers would be unwise.

Perhaps the reason numerous law-enforcement interventions in Karachi over the decades have failed (including bringing in the army) has been highlighted by the Rangers’ DG himself; our conviction rate is abysmally low while witnesses are too scared to testify against suspects. In short, the investigation and prosecution system is not delivering. This is where the Sindh government comes in. Our flawed investigation and prosecution system must be put right and strengthened so that suspects caught and found guilty are sentenced and are not allowed back on the streets. Also, the Rangers should not be given enhanced powers at the cost of the police. For all its faults, the provincially controlled police force is in a much better position to tackle crime and terrorism in Karachi. That is why the Rangers must work in tandem with the police while carrying out operations in the city. There should not be two parallel law-enforcement entities active in Karachi. The metropolis’s law and order problems can be addressed through plugging the legal loopholes, reforming and depoliticising the police and bringing in the Rangers only in extraordinary circumstances.