KARACHI: Referring to the law and order situation in Karachi, Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Monday said that he had discussed the issue with the DG Rangers in detail and added that results have been achieved after empowering Rangers with powers as that of police on the request of the Sindh government.

Moreover, Malik said a special task force had been set up to check smuggling via sea routes.

“The force will look into all options, ways and means to check human trafficking out of the country and check smuggling of fuel from Iran into the country,” he told media representatives after holding separate meetings with DG FIA, Waseem Ahmed, DG Coast Guards, Brig. Shahryar Khan, and DG Rangers Sindh, Maj. General Ijaz Choudhry.

The Minister said that anti-immigration laws will be redefined to give more powers to the Coast Guards so that they could check human smuggling more effectively.

He said coastal areas of Balochistan were being widely used by smugglers for human trafficking via Iran to UAE and European countries while diesel fuel was being smuggled into the country also from Iran.

“Cheap fuel diesel is not only smuggled into Pakistan but also transported to Afghanistan,” he pointed out.

Malik said that, besides fuel, the smuggling of other food items into Afghanistan was also being checked by the forces posted on borders.

To a question regarding the case of American national Raymond Davis, Malik said there was no pressure on the government and that the law will take its due course.

“Trust the Punjab government and the police, there is no interference,” he added.