HYDERABAD, Feb 1: Sindh Home Minister Abdul Rauf Siddiqui has defended the stay of 11,000 Rangers personnel in the province and claimed that the budget spent on them by the provincial government was not so heavy.

He said that for security reasons, the passenger train between Pakistan and India would not halt at Khokhrapar and Mirpurkhas railway stations because passengers’ documentation would be completed at the zero point.

Mr Siddiqui was speaking at a news conference at the circuit house here on Wednesday after presiding over a meeting which discussed staps for mainting peace during Muharram in the Hyderabad region. Regional Police Officer Bachal Sangri, Hyderabad range DIGP Mazhar Shaikh, DPO Ali Ahmad Junejo and police officers of other districts attended the meeting.

"There are a handful of people who can create law and order situation while people by and large have no business with any activity. That’s why the train will not stop at Khokhrapar and Mirpurkhas railway stations," said the home minister when asked to define the nature of security concerns which were hampering halting of the train at these stations.

He said documentation of passengers would be completed at zero point because the Khokhrapar station lacked infrastructure.

He said the border had remained closed for 40 years which was being reopened by the government after negotiations with India and under an agreement.

"Rangers will continue to stay in Sindh as long as they are needed and their budgetary allocations are not as heavy. The Sindh police in the entire province are under-strength and 20,000 to 25,000 new recruitments are required. We have increased the period of commando training of police from six months to nine months," Mr Siddiqui replied when he was asked whether Rangers would still be required when the situation in the province was peaceful as per his own statement.

He said Rangers and other law-enforcement agencies had always been at the beck and call of police for maintaining law and order. "Police do not have facilities possessed by Rangers," he said.

He said Rangers had been brought for internal security although they were concerned with border security. "Whenever there is police failure Rangers are called," he said.

The minister expressed satisfaction over the law and order situation in Sindh but said the province was considered sensitive during Muharram. He said the code of ethics would be adhered to which was in practice last year.

He maintained that ulema had expressed satisfaction over measures adopted by police and Rangers for maintenance of peace and added that police would monitor each and every Majlis and mourning procession. Besides, a control room of police would start working round-the-clock from 7th of Muharram, he added. He sought cooperation of people in maintaining a close vigil over miscreants.

About kidnappings, he described the recent search operation successful during which three hostages were recovered and said four of the remaining hostages were those who had gone missing from Gadap but their families had not received any call for ransom which was confusing.

Regarding the case of Manu Bheel, he said he himself was ready to raid the place of Abdul Rehman Marri if pointed out where he had established a private jail. He dispelled an impression that because of influence of Pir Pagara, police were not taking action against him.