KARACHI: Relations between the Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Rangers, which suffered a serious blow over the Asad Kharal affair, plummeted further on Friday when the paramilitary force cordoned off the provincial home minister’s residence in Larkana after the Rangers chief’s assertion that the force could go after criminals anywhere under the defined laws.

Party leaders called the Rangers chief’s statement ‘a little exaggerated’ and said it negated the concept of a democratic government.

Earlier this week the Rangers picked up Asad Kharal who was said to be a close aide of home minister Suhail Anwar Siyal and his family in Larkana. The force alleged that ‘influential persons’ were interfering in the matters when its investigators were interrogating the suspect.

Sources claimed the suspect was released on the intervention of Mr Siyal’s brother though both the PPP government and the home minister denied it.

The Friday statements from the two sides suggested hardening of stances, which may aggravate the situation. The Pakistan Rangers have stuck to their guns and the PPP government has not yet showed any sign of relenting.

Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, director general Major General Bilal Akbar was the first to share his reaction over the Asad Kharal affair with news channels.

“The Rangers will go after criminals wherever they are in the province under the defined laws,” he told Samaa TV in the early hours of Friday morning. “We’ll launch a fully fledged operation across Sindh against criminals. Criticising Rangers’ powers is tantamount to supporting criminals. Peace in Karachi is directly linked with stable situation in Sindh. There are hideouts in several areas of the province, where criminals escape after executing jobs in Karachi,” he said.

The DG’s words matched action in the evening when heavy contingents of the Rangers cordoned off the area around the residence of provincial home minister on Masan Road in Larkana.

Though eyewitnesses said the paramilitary troops did not make any move after the deployment on the busy road but their presence created quite a stir in the PPP stronghold. The PPP cadre also felt the heat but refused to be impressed or embarrassed by the Rangers move.

“We respect our institutions, agencies and security forces,” was the calm reply given by adviser to chief minister on information Maula Bux Chandio to reporters outside the Karachi Press Club when he was asked about Rangers’ move and its DG’s remarks.

Mr Chandio, who had arrived to attend a protest to show solidarity with the people of held Kashmir, said: “If it is to establish peace and arrest criminals then they can go to any part of the country. But, we cannot support any move which negates the true spirit or concept of a democratic government.”

PPP Senator Saeed Ghani who was also present at the protest called the DG Rangers’ words ‘a little exaggerated’ and said that criminals had set up hideouts not only in Sindh, their hideouts could be found in every part of the country.

“It’s not entirely correct to say that criminals escape to interior of Sindh after executing jobs in Karachi. If you know Karachi, there are criminals who flee to Punjab, KPK, Balochistan and even to Fata to escape the law. I believe the criminals should be chased by security and law-enforcement agencies in every part of the country,” he said.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2016