LAHORE: Law Minister Rana Sanaullah says as there is no Karachi-like situation in any part of Punjab, Rangers will not be called in the province.

He told reporters at the Punjab Assembly on Wednesday that no town in Punjab was facing the law and order situation as of Karachi, where a targeted operation was being conducted by the para-military force.

Mr Sanaullah, showing his trust in the abilities of the provincial law-enforcement agencies, said they were giving their best performance in Punjab and that the same institutions would act against the criminals active in riverside areas of the province.

He said there was no organised network of the militant Islamic State group in the country as the authorities could not collect any evidence in this respect.

He, however, admitted that some people had gone to Syria to take part in the ongoing war there.

Some recruits, he said, were nabbed before they could leave Pakistan for Syria.

About prime minister’s statement regarding the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), he said PM Nawaz Sharif was authorised to direct NAB if need be. He urged different sections of society to draw positive conclusion of the PM’s statement.

“The prime minister has called to strengthen NAB.”

He said that Punjab authorities would welcome NAB if it decided to initiate action against corruption but the action must not be just to “balance” its activities being undertaken in Sindh.

He said the prime minister could in no way be held responsible for shortcomings and mistakes committed by any institution.

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2016