[Dawn] The federal cabinet approved a proposal on Friday to allow the Rangers to shoot at, or issue orders to shoot at, Death Eaters in Bloody Karachi...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous...
after giving a warning. The existing rules allow law enforcement agencies to open fire only after they are fired upon.
The proposal drew an intense debate, with some members counselling exhaustive deliberations before vesting the paramilitary forces with such sweeping powers.
The recommendation, which is to be included in the Anti-Terrorism (Third Amendment) Bill, 2013 that the government intends to table in the ongoing session of the National Assembly, also increased the preventive detention period from 30 to 90 days for people caught under the anti-terrorism act.
Under the proposed bill, crimes like extortion, murders and kidnappings for ransom have been made part of the list of offences covered under the anti-terrorism act.
The recommendations have been formulated by a four-member committee, headed by PML-N's legal wizard Zahid Hamid and comprising Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Zaheer Ahmed, the prosecutor general of Sindh and Senator Farogh Naseem of the MQM.
The committee was formed as a result of a special cabinet meeting held on Sept 4 in Karachi which decided to go for a targeted operation in the city against criminals.
According to an official handout issued after the cabinet meeting, the law and order situation, with special focus on Karachi, was the top agenda item of the huddle.
It said the cabinet had approved the Anti-Terrorism (Third Amendment) Bill, 2013. "The draft bill provides for law-enforcement agencies powers of preventive detention up to three months for any person concerned in any offence under the anti-terrorism act relating to security or defence of Pakistain, public order relating to murder, kidnapping for ransom and extortion," it said.