Pakistani News

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira said on Saturday that Rangers had been given powers to crack down on criminal elements on a request by the Sindh government.

Talking to reporters after attending a meeting of the National Assembly`s Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting, he said that the government was concerned over the situation in Karachi and efforts were being made to bring peace in the city.

Mr Kaira said that no operation had been launched and curfew was also not clamped in any party of the city.

He said the government would continue to take action based on real time intelligence till the arrest of elements involved in targeted killings.

He said the recent action in Orangi Town was a law-enforcement measure in the same context.

He said the action was against anti-social elements and land grabbers.

The minister said the interior minister, the Sindh chief minister and the home minister were working in harmony.

Mr Kaira said consultations were being made with regard to framing the Freedom of Information Amendment Bill 2002 and the provinces, except Punjab, had given their input.

He said the matter of Nabeel Gabol`s resignation had been resolved `within family` by the prime minister and his reservations would be removed.

Speaking during the committee meeting, he said that after the passage of the 18th Amendment, the bill on freedom of expression would be renamed as the Right to Information Bill.

He said the ministry had three weeks to finalise the bill.