HYDERABAD: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah ruled out the possibility of the imposition of governor rule in Sindh and cautioned against its imposition, while talking to journalists in Jamshoro on Saturday.

"A democratic dispensation is working in the country," Shah said. "There is no reason for governor rule to be imposed."

"If it is imposed, it will have serious implications," he warned.

Briefly talking to journalists at the conclusion of Sindh University’s convocation, the chief minister took a few questions on the provincial and federal government’s controversy over the stay of Rangers in Sindh, and the likely formation of a grand alliance by the province's opposition parties.

Qaim Ali Shah emphatically opposed the formation of a grand opposition alliance against the Sindh government.

“The federal government does not have the authority to impose governor’s rule in Sindh or in any other province," he maintained.

Discussing the matter of Rangers, the chief minister dismissed reports of the Rangers' powers being clipped and emphasised that their presence will continue as mandated.

"When the Karachi operation was launched, the chief minister was made its captain," Shah said. "But it appears that while the head is still there, the cap has gone."

Shah's sarcasm indicated he believes he is sidelined in decisions made about the Karachi operation.

"The Rangers action will continue as mandated in the resolution," the chief minister affirmed.

Rejecting allegations that the Rangers overstep their powers, Shah noted, "They [Rangers] have manpower against target killers, extortionists and those involved in kidnapping for ransom."

He added that Director General Rangers Bilal Akbar was satisfied with the special powers offered to Rangers. Shah added that a summary regarding the Rangers' stay in Sindh was also being prepared.

A grand alliance

Sindh's opposition parties led by Arbab Ghulam Rahim and Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi have been contemplating the formation of a grand alliance in Sindh against the ruling PPP.

Jatoi has convened a meeting to discuss the matter and the two opposition parties have reached out to MQM as well. They are hoping MQM will join their grand alliance.

PPP swept the local bodies elections in almost all districts of Sindh, barring Karachi and Hyderabad. In these two, MQM clinched mayoral slots in both the Karachi Metropolitan, and the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.

Background: Overstepping authority

The Sindh government, in last few months, has been accusing the Rangers of overstepping their authority, particularly in two cases: the raids on Sindh Building Countrol Authority offices, and the arrest of Dr. Asim Hussain, chairman Sindh’s Higher Education Commissioner and a close associate of PPP co chairman Asif Ali Zardari.

The Sindh government has repeatedly brought their concerns to the federal government as well as the prime minister.

Rangers were called into Sindh in 1989 by the PPP-led Sindh government to control lawlessness in many parts of the province. At the time, the province was ridden with ethnic strife and dacoits. But the Rangers special powers came only the wake of amendments to the Anti Terrorism Act, after which they were authorised to probe cases dealing with terror financing.

The Dec 16 resolution, in which word 'terrorism' was replaced with 'sectarian killing', reads:

The Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) will have powers in respect of only target killing; extortion/bhatta; kidnapping for ransom and sectarian killing.

"If the resolution is read carefully," the CM clarified. "It would be evident that the Rangers powers are not curbed by any law. There is only the point of discipline by law enforcing agencies, that must be adhered to."

"The law enforcing agencies are satisfied with it," he further attested.

Sindh’s opposition parties, however, did not back the resolution adopted by the house -- which consists of a PPP dominated assembly -- on a simple majority.

The resolution is adopted in line with Article 147 that talks about ratification of any provincial government’s action.

The resolution does not allow the Rangers to place any person 'not directly involved in terrorism and only suspected of aiding and abetting terrorists or by way of terror financing or facilitating terrorists' under preventive detention without prior approval of the chief minister.

The Rangers cannot legally raid any office of the Sindh government and its attached departments without prior written approval of the chief secretary, according to resolution.

Pakistan Rangers occupy important educational institutions even cultural heritage in Sindh. They haven’t yet vacated. In last PPP government, formed in 2008, it was decided that law enforcing agency would provided alternate accommodations to law enforcers but it is not yet done.