Rangers deployed at parliament house as usual, clarifies Punjab Rangers

RAWALPINDI - The Punjab Rangers' spokesperson clarified here that the Rangers' Quick Response Force (QRF) is already deployed for the security of Parliament House, and performing its duty as usual.

The spokesperson further explained that the Punjab Rangers did not receive any formal request from the executive as the civil administration asks in writing for further deployment. However, there is no need for extra deployment and the Rangers' Quick Response Force is already present here and performing its routine duty very well, the spokesperson added.

Earlier, Geo News reported that the Rangers have not been providing security to the National Assembly building for the last two days in the wake of the controversy over the paramilitary force’s deployment at the Federal Judicial Complex on Monday.

Only police and Elite Force personnel are deployed outside the parliament. The parliament’s security staff has informed the speaker and deputy speaker’s offices about the development, the news channel added.

On Monday, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal had threatened to resign after he and senior PML-N leaders, accompanying Nawaz Sharif for the hearing of a corruption reference against the deposed prime minster, were barred from entering the courthouse by Rangers officials.

It was not clear as to who called the Rangers. Just hours after the interior minister protested, the Islamabad administration issued a statement, saying that it had not sent for the paramilitary forces. The accountability court judge also told reporters that he had not sought the deployment.

Speaking to the media outside the court, Iqbal asked whose orders the Rangers was following, and promised an inquiry into and disciplinary action over the incident. He said that he might resign in protest if he could not hold the institution which works under his ministry accountable.