KARACHI: Explaining the Rangers` specific roles during their stay in Sindh, a notification of the provincial government issued for the purpose makes it clear that the paramilitary force will not raid any provincial government office with-out approvalof the chiefsecretary of the province, it emerged on Thursday.

`Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) shall not raid any ofhce of the Government of Sindh or any other Government Authority, without prior written approval of the Chief Secretary, Government of Sindh, said the notification.The Sindh home ministry also wrote a letter on Thursday to the director general, Pakistan Rangers (Sindh), in which it intimated him about a federal government notification issued a day earlier regarding the paramilitary force`s stay for a year in Sindh and policing powers given to it in Karachi division for 90 days.Officials in the home ministry said the letterhadbeen sentto the DG Rangers after the provincial government got the federal interior ministry`s notification ratifying the provincial government`s signing of two summaries sanctioning the Rangers` stay in Sindh and special powers in Karachi.

The notification issued by theSindh government said that the Rangers, in case of extreme emergencies, could carry out patrolling of Indus and National highways as might be duly notified by the government.

It would provide backup support to police and participate actively in such joint operations as might be requested by theinspectorgeneralofpolice,Sindh.

The notification said the Rangers would be deployed at random for manning all protective bunds on the Indus River and the katcha areas where police force was thin on the ground and needed backup support. Such deployment would be brief and in exceptional cases stationary checkpoints would be established for the same purpose.

The Sindh Rangers would be present and fill in the gaps of such areas in the hilly ranges where police force was not deployed.

Such gaps would be identified through mutual consultations with the police and district administration concerned. The surveillance role would be assigned randomly by the Sindh government. In cases of emergency, stationary checkpoints would also be set up.

Besides, Rangers would remain available as a backup reserve to local or civil administration to be deployed in appropriate number with consent of the Sindh government. It will function in support of the police and be prepared to take over certain areas where the situation warrants presence of well-trainedstrike force. The notification said the force could establish some posts on rooftops and on ground, if required, in the areas allocated to them by the provincial government.

It would carry out occasional patrolling on selected roads on the report of senior superintendent of police in maintenance of law and order. The notification said in event of special powers given to the Rangers under any law for the time being, it shall follow all procedural and legal steps as prescribed in law.

The Rangers would protect selected highvalue installations, including major hospitals, educational institutions and foreign installations or consulates as notified by the government. It would provide backup support to police during religious or other mega programmes involving large public gathering and escort or route protection for visiting foreign delegations and president, or prime minister to Karachi and elsewhere in Sindh.

It said the Rangers would have its own independent intelligence network and would carry out intelligence based operations in accordance with law as well as the instant notification. The Sindh government from time to time, keeping in view of the prevalent situation, might modify the terms stated inthe instant notification.

Meanwhile, the interior ministry in a notification said the special powers given to the Rangers had been extended for another 90 days in Karachi division since July 20, the day when the previous permission expired.

Rangers` performance A Rangers spokesperson on Thursday said that they had been extending support to the police to carry out operation in Sindh, excluding Karachi, since 2013, which had brought significant reduction in different crimes.

`Rangers Sindh in accordance with powers given to them under Article 147 has been providing support to police from time to time to carry out operation against criminal elements since September 5, 2013,` said the spokesperson. Because of these operations, a total of 533 suspects were apprehended, which helped to improve law and order situation and brought significant reduction in crimes. Giving details of reduction in different crimes, the spokesperson said killings were reduced up to 44pc, robberies up to 53pc, kidnapping for ransom up to 77pc and banditry up to 27pc.