The Sindh government on Friday approved an extension in the special powers of the Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) under Section 4(2) of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997 within Karachi for 90 days.

A summary in this regard has been sent by the provincial government to the Ministry of Interior in Islamabad for approval.

The Rangers will continue to "discharge its functions as specified and authorised by the provincial government" with effect from April 6 to July 4, the summary states.

The announcement came shortly after the Rangers issued a press release to reject a report published by BBC Urdu which claimed that the paramilitary force had been relieved of their duties in Sindh and deployed on the border instead, due to tensions with India.

Perspective: Sindh Rangers versus Sindh government

"Pakistan Rangers would like to clarify that the news published in foreign media which mentions that there is a change in Rangers' duties across the province is contrary to the truth," the paramilitary force said. "Let it be clear that Rangers' troops deployed in Karachi and interior Sindh are discharging their duties as usual and no change has been made in this regard."

Adviser to the Chief Minister on Information, Law and Anti-corruption, Barrister Murtaza Wahab, also issued a statement on the matter, debunking the foreign publication's report and terming it as "fabricated and baseless".

"The Sindh chief minister, at the beginning of this very week, had issued a summary of extension in the powers accorded to Pakistan Rangers (Sindh)," explained the advisor.