KARACHI: Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, on Friday expressed their resolve to continue the operation against criminals, terrorists and killers in Karachi while complying with all legal formalities and requirements for justice, said a statement issued here.

A meeting to review the progress of the ‘Karachi operation’ and discuss future planning of the paramilitary force actions was held at the Rangers headquarters. The director general of Sindh Rangers, Maj Gen Bilal Akbar, presided over the meeting.

“The meeting was attended by all sector and wing commanders,” said the Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, statement. “The meeting reviewed the progress of ongoing operation. It was decided that the Rangers would continue chasing terrorists and targeted killers without any discrimination while meeting all legal formalities and requirement for justice.”

The Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, meeting was first of its kind after the growing controversy and criticism over the death of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) worker Aftab Ahmed in their custody.

Editorial: Confronting MQM’s past

Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif has ordered an inquiry into the incident while the Sindh Rangers chief has also suspended an unspecified number of paramilitary soldiers and formed a probe body.

The situation took a serious turn when initial findings of a post-mortem examination of the deceased confirmed that between 35 and 40 per cent of Aftab Ahmed’s body surface was “congested due to multiple bruises”.

Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said the Rangers, who were facing allegations of custodial killing, should not hold an inquiry into the incident on their own and he had contacted the Sindh government for a judicial probe into the custodial death.

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2016