LAHORE: The caretaker Punjab government on Saturday approved extension in the deployment of Rangers in the province for another 60 days with effect from June 17.

A summary to this effect will be sent to the interior ministry for final approval.

Officials said the home department had moved a summary to the interim chief minister for approval before the expiry of the two-month stay of Rangers on June 16 but it could not be signed because of certain reasons.

The provincial government had requisitioned five companies of the Pakistan Rangers for a period of 60 days (two months) to assist police and the counter-terrorism department (CTD) for hunting down terrorists, their facilitators and proscribed organisations across the province last year.

The decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the provincial Apex Committee which was presided over by the then chief minister Shahbaz Sharif and attended among others by the National Security Adviser retired Lt Gen Nasser Khan Janjua, and senior military and Rangers officials.

The meeting was held in the aftermath of a suicide attack at Lahore’s Charing Cross on The Mall on February 13, 2017, claiming the lives of 14 people, including DIG retired Capt Mubin and SSP Zahid Nawaz Gondal.

Officials on Saturday said the Rangers would continue conducting intelligence-based operations in league with the CTD all over the province.

Out of the five Rangers companies, two are deployed in DG Khan and one in Attock, while the remaining two were kept in reserve to hunt down terrorists when and where required in the province.

Rangers have been given powers of police officers under Section 5 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA). They are authorised to have cases registered like the CTD officers, also having a legal cover for all other actions they take during and after operations.

Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2018