The committee was briefed that the troops of Pakistan Rangers (Punjab), the paramilitary civil armed forces stationed in Pakistan's largest province, had been deployed in different districts of Punjab province on the recommendations of SCCLO and under the auspices of the Punjab Home Department, to perform intelligence-based operations (IBOs) initiated under Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad, security duties at and protection of sensitive establishments/vital installations, and maintenance of law and order in aid of civil power.
The SCCLO was further apprised about the current deployment of Rangers across Punjab. Moreover, respective deputy commissioners of various districts also duly verified and signed the duty claims before sending them to the Punjab Home Department, the committee was informed.
“Thereafter, the Home Department paid the said claims out of block allocations designated for internal security duty claims of LEAs, as per the Home Department's standard operating procedures,” a senior official told TFT.
Internal security duties performed by Rangers in Punjab
A senior official who participated in the meeting maintained that in the 3rd meeting of SCCLO held on April 7, deputy commissioners of Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Bhakkar, DG Khan, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Jhang, Jhelum, Khushab, Lahore, Layyah, Lodhran, Mandi Bahauddin, Mianwali, Multan, Muzaffargarh, Nankana Sahib, Okara, Rajanpur, Rawalpindi, Rahim Yar Khan, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Sheikhupura, Sialkot, and Toba Tek Singh submitted Rangers internal security duty claims amounting to Rs 336.263 million, after verifying the claims for different periods.
The SCCLO was further apprised that IBOs were being conducted by three wings of Rangers present at Attock, Lahore and Dera Ghazi Khan (D.G. Khan). These Rangers units are conducting IBOs separately from the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and other LEAs.Credible sources assert that there is no criteria for KPI (key performance indicators) to measure or evaluate the effectiveness of IBOs in the abovementioned three districts. It is also being considered to enhance coordination between the civilian law enforcement (CTD, police, etc.) and the Rangers to prevent any resurgence of terrorist attacks in the province.
The matter of duty claims was submitted before the SCCLO for consideration and further decision. "Following which SCCLO considered and approved IS security duty claims of Pakistan Rangers, and approved the said amount block allocation of Home Department designated for IS duty claims".
Cost of Rangers duties in different districts
The SCCLO approved payment of Rs 50.811 million for duty at DG Khan (RUF) from September 2022 to December 2022, and another Rs 4.523 million for duties at Lahore's Allama Iqbal International Airport duty during the same timeframe.
Interestingly, Rs 7.174 million were paid for security duty by Punjab Rangers at residences of honourable retired judges (Saqib Nisar, Asif Saeed Khosa) of Supreme Court of Pakistan, under the charge of old bills and during the September-December 2022 period. Rs 4.055 million was also approved for IS duty at Lahore Kot Lakhpat Jail during September-December 2022. While Rs 2.215 million was okayed for IS duties performed by Rangers at Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi from October to November 2022.
Rs 3.681 million was accrued for internal security duty at Mazar-e-Iqbal in Lahore from July to October 2022. Rs 155.873 million was demanded for IS duties at Lahore RUF from October 2021 to Dec 2022. Rs 4.729 million was sanctioned for IS duties at the US consulate in Lahore, as well as another Rs 3.579 million for IS duty at Mianwali Bridge: both these security expenses were incurred from September to December 2022.
Another Rs 54.893 million was incurred against Rajanpur sealing duties at the tri-border area, first during November-December 2021 and then again from June 2022 to October 2022.
Rs 2.396 million for IS duty at Sahiwal high security prison (Oct-Dec 22) and Rs 41.857 million for general law and other duties in different districts was also okayed by the SCCLO.
Disbursement mechanism approved
In the 3rd meeting of SCCLO, it was also decided that the said amount will be disbursed in the 'Asaan Assignment Accounts' (AAAs) of respective deputy Commissioner's, under the head of "law and order and ancillary matters", for further disbursement to Pakistan Rangers.
The SCCLO also decided that the additional chief secretary for the Home Department (ACS Home) will convene a meeting with DG Rangers (Punjab) and other stakeholders to examine the progress as well as terms of reference (ToRs) of Rangers deployment in the province. The ACS (Home) has also been instructed to discuss the framework, outcomes and efficiency of IBOs conducted at districts Lahore, D.G. Khan and Attock by Pakistan Rangers (Punjab) on their own. In this regard, recommendations will be shared with the SCCLO in its upcoming meeting.
“The government of the Punjab, through the Home Department, shall request all deputy commissioners of Punjab to, on behalf of SCCLO, meticulously examine the IS duty claims of Pakistan Army and Rangers, and ensure physical deployment of troops at their respective places of duty before forwarding the internal security claims to the Home Department,” a senior official privy to this development told TFT.
Pakistan Army's internal security duties in Punjab
The committee was also briefed that deputy Commissioner's of Lahore, Rawalpindi, Toba Tek Singh, Multan, D.G. Khan and Rajanpur had submitted Army internal security duty claims amounting to Rs 38.809 million after verification. This amount was also incurred across different time periods.
“Accordingly, the matter was submitted before the SCCLO for consideration and further decision,” a senior official said.
Similar to the Rangers, SCCLO also decided that the internal security duty claims of Pakistan Army, amounting to Rs 38.809 million would be paid from the Home Department's block allocation designated for internal security duty claims.
Despite the sensitivity involved in discussing Pakistan Army deployments, TFT has obtained exclusive details of the expenses incurred by the Punjab government for internal security duties performed by Pakistan Army personnel across in the recent past.
The Army incurred Rs 2.451 million for internal security duties at the Pakistan Super League VII and the England cricket series in Lahore. An additional Rs 11.965 million was incurred for Army security duties for the cricket match series against Zimbabwe and Australia, played in Rawalpindi. Rs 5.084 million were spent in the Army performing security duties for the cricket series against England and West Indies Series in Multan.
The Pakistan Army also charged the Punjab government Rs 12.575 million for "flood duty" at Rajanpur, as well as another Rs 6.709 million for internal security duty in D.G. Khan.
In its 3rd meeting on April 7, the SCCLO decided that the said amount be disbursed in the AAAs of respective deputy commissioners for onward disbursement to the Pakistan Army, similar to the manner in which disbursement will now be made to the Pakistan Rangers (Punjab).