Hundreds of, at least 312, influential persons, including the federal and provincial ministers and members of assemblies, advisors, secretaries, Nazims, district officers, speaker of national assembly and executives and directors of private firms, were licensed to purchase the prohibited bore weapons by the Fire Arms Bureau (FAB) of Home Department during August 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009.
"If we can't cleanse the country of illegal arms due to political interference, then it is better to issue licence to everybody... and that is why I am issuing (arms) licences rapidly," Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza told Sindh Assembly on Friday. In a written reply to question of NPP's Arif Mustafa Jatoi, the home minister said during July 2008 to 2009 some 11,987 licences were issued by his department in 23 districts of the province.
According to Mirza, the number of weapons registered with the concerned DCO offices and police stations stood at 6,622 and 20,084, respectively during the period. During the same period, the FAB had sold the prohibited bore weapons, including G-3 M16, AR15, AUG, MPS and foreign and Pakistan made 7.62 M.M Kalashnikovs, to some 312 persons, the home minister added.
An annexure made available to Business Recorder revealed that the list of 312 persons also includes the names of Federal Ministers Zubair Ahmed Khan, Aijaz Jakhrani, MNAs Fouzia Ejaz Ahmed, Khawaja Suhail Mansoor, S A Iqbal Qadri, Waseem Akhtar, Sheikh Salahuddin, Sufyan Yousuf, Sindh provincial ministers Mir Nadir Magsi, Sajid Jokhio, Rauf Siddiqui, Manzoor Wassan, Nadia Gabol, Muhammad Shoaib, MPAs Sharjeel Inam Memon, Rana Abdul Sattar, Rehan Zafar, Syed Khalid Ahmed, M. Muzammil Qureshi, Secretary Finance Dr Fazlullah Pechuho, Advisor to CM Khawaja Izhar-ul-Hassan, EDO Nasir Abbas Soomro, CEO Pakistan Cherry Automobile Abdul Wahid and a host of dignitaries representing the public and private sectors.
The list also carries the names of Speaker National Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza and Hasnain Ali Mirza, wife and son of Sindh home minister. According to Mirza, the provincial government had revised, probably because of the soaring demand, the prices of G-3 M16, AR15, AUG, MPS to Rs 100,000.
The foreign and Pakistan made 7.62 M.M Kalashnikovs are being priced respectively at Rs 40,000 and Rs 25,000 since February 17, 2009. In support of his argument, the home minister illustrated the lowest rate of crime in Pakhtoon-khwah province where, he said, firearms were available in almost every house. He also referred to a "club" in the United States, which was ensuring a peaceful society in the multi-ethnic country.
To a question, Mirza said the government had formed various forces such as the 1000-member Special Protection Force, the 700-member Foreign Security Cell and an elite force, to guard foreign diplomats and other important figures besides monitoring the private security companies' affairs.
The home minister also clarified that around 2000 City Wardens of the CDGK had nothing to do with maintaining law and order in Karachi and the former community police was not authorised to keep weapons. He warned the wardens against possessing and displaying unlicensed weapons, an offence for which, he said, the provincial government could take them to task anytime.
Later, during the general proceedings, the provincial legislature through adopting a unanimous resolution paid homage to Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai on occasion of the Urs of Sindhi Sufi poet. The House would meet again on Monday at 10am. After the assembly session, Speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro launched a New Year calendar in commemoration of PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto at the cafeteria.