Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Wednesday criticised the Sindh government for limiting the powers given to the paramilitary Rangers in the province.

The minister said that every three months, when the powers given to the Rangers expire and have to be renewed by approval of the chief minister, the performance of the paramilitary force is unnecessarily made a matter of dispute.

"If the provincial government does not issue a notification for an extension in the Ranger's powers in the name of public interest, the federal government will consider its options under the Constitution and law," the minister said.

"The Ranger's can only fulfill their responsibilities if no delays are made in giving them orders under the Anti-terrorism Act 1997," the minister said.

"The Sindh government's practice of giving them limited powers is against the law because no law can be limited by the orders of an institution."

Nisar added that it was "absurd" that the provincial government has no reservations in using the Rangers as their personal guards, but is not prepared to give them powers to protect the people of Karachi under the relevant laws.

"Rangers are not a security company to be hired for the personal protection of VIPs," the interior minister said.

Nisar further said that the provincial governments excuse that it wants to give Ranger's orders akin to those given by the Punjab government is illogical.

"The reality is that even in Punjab, the paramilitary force has been given orders under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997 without being limited by the federal or provincial governments," Nisar said.

"The citizens of Karachi and Sindh are not only satisfied with the performance of the force but also trust it," he said, adding that the Sindh government's willingness to compromise the security of Karachi's residents for their own political gains is worth investigating.