LAHORE: Punjab Law Minster Rana Sanaullah says there is no plan for the army or Rangers-led operation against militants anywhere in Punjab.

“The (operation) issue is being confused as so far there is no plan to use the Rangers or the army in tribal areas of Punjab,” he said, adding the law-enforcement agencies under the provincial government, including police and the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), were well-trained and equipped with the latest gadgets and they were controlling terrorism in a better way.

He was talking to the media at the café of the Punjab Assembly here on Friday.

The minister told a questioner that there existed a law for seeking help of the army and the Rangers in certain cases and Punjab had benefited from these forces during Muharram and local bodies’ elections. However, he said, there was neither room nor need for policing by the Rangers in Punjab.

Responding to a query about reports of increase in the salaries of MPAs, Sana put in the other way, saying “the salaries are not being increased rather these are being brought on a par with the remuneration being paid to members of other assemblies. The raise is over 38 percent and that too will not be available to the speaker, deputy speaker, chief minister, ministers and advisors”.

The law minister told another questioner that Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar and Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah were senior politicians and the situation (between them) would improve within few days.

About the assembly session that began on Friday, he said it would continue for a couple of weeks to do important legislative work. Orange Line train and other mega development projects as well as law and order in the province would be discussed in the House, he added.

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2016