Rangers empowered: Cabinet approves Anti-Terrorism bill amendments

[Edevelop]

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Cabinet on Friday approved amendments to the Anti-Terrorism Bill, sanctioning more powers for Rangers in their endeavour to restore law and order in Karachi.

The decision was taken in a cabinet session chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

The revised draft of the bill will now be presented before the Parliament for approval.

• The amendments will allow security forces to ‘use force’ to prevent a terrorist act, with omission of the phrase ‘when fired upon’.

• Target killers, extortionists and kidnappers will also be treated as ‘terrorists’.

• The armed forces or civil armed forces will be authorised to detain a person involved in such offences for three months for investigations.

Besides giving the Rangers greater powers, the proposed amendments also include ensuring protection of witnesses as part of a larger effort to stem terrorism within the state.

In that regard, the measures include “using screens to shield witnesses, judges and prosecutors from public view; trial in jail premises or through video link; investigation and trial in another province and ensuring no access to mobile phones for prisoners in jail.”

The cabinet also decided to constitute a special committee to review the proposed bill for local bodies act for the federal capital.

While speaking on law and order within the country, the Prime Minister expressed satisfaction over the ongoing targeted action in Karachi, remarking that the common man was satisfied with the operation and a positive outcome was guaranteed.

He directed the federal government institutions to ensure full cooperation with the Sindh government to restore law and order in Karachi.

Rangers empowered: Cabinet approves Anti-Terrorism bill amendments – The Express Tribune

 

[Panther 57]

If this is implemented in true spirit, things will improve fast. However, they forgot to bridle the wild horse of media. They will not allow actions against criminals because they are being paid by anti pakistani forces.

 

[W.11]

giving them authority to shoot and kill extrajudicially will bring too many reservation esp after this

rangers is not ready to take charge as the prosecutor and investigator

there are many question marks on rangers, esp after they made many false accusations on Karachi issues

rangers is too trigger happy and i fear that this clause will give them free hand to kill any innocent person extra judicially

the supreme court hearing has shown that rangers has a very weak intelligence system, surely the 19,000 containers they talked about didnt come from DG rangers arse, the raids which happened in yusuf plaza also shows their weak intelligence

the best way is to strengthen the prosecution powers of rangers and also form the monitoring committee which will monitor the transparency of the affairs of both rangers and police

so i think giving their free will to shoot and kill anybody and esp seeing the weak judiciary, weak prosecution, absence of a monitoring committee will make it very controversial

 

[Saleem]

he was trying to snatch away the gun.....from full video......