ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said on Wednesday that the federal government would consider alternative legal options if the Sindh government did not extend Rangers powers in public interest.

In a statement, he said Rangers could fully discharge their duties in Karachi only when there was no dilly-dallying in giving them powers under the AntiTerrorism Act, 1997.

Referring to the indications to give Rangers limited powers, he said this would be against the law and the rules as no law could be restricted through anadministrative order.

He regretted that the Rangers` performance and sacrifices in Karachi were unnecessarily made controversial every three months.

He said it was ridiculous that the Sindh government wanted to use Rangers as their guards, but was not ready to give them powers under the relevant law for protection of the people.

He said Rangers were not a security company and could not be deployed for security of VIPs.

He said this excuse was also uncalled for and illogical that the Sindh government wanted to give powers to Rangers on the pattern of the Punjab government. He said in fact, Rangers had been given powers in Punjab under ATA 1997 and had not been limited by the Punjab or federal government.

Chaudhry Nisar said people of Karachi were satisfied with the performance of Rangers and trust the force.He said it was not only surprising, but also alarming that the Sindh government wanted to compromise the security of people for its speciñc political objectives.

The deployment of Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, in Karachi is requisitioned under Article 147 of the Constitution and Clause 1 of Sub-section 3 of Section 4 of the AntiTerrorism Act, 1997, authorising the paramilitary force to prevent the commission of terrorist acts or scheduled offences in the notified area for the punishment of terrorists in accordance with the provision of the ATA, 1997.

Meanwhile, the interior ministry extended policing powers of Punjab Rangers for another 60 days.

The term was to expire on April 22, but a notification for extension was issued on Wednesday by the ministry following a request from the provincial government.

Powers have been given to the Rangers under ATA, 1997.