All political bigwigs issued prohibited arm licences during Musharraf’s regime

ISLAMABAD - Over 400 prohibited arms licenses were issued to political leaders, parliamentarians and bureaucrats including President Asif Zardari and the Sharif brothers (Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif) during former President General Pervez Musharraf’s regime.

In a written reply to the National Assembly, Interior Minister Rehman Malik confirmed that 462 prohibited arm licences were issued during October 2007 to February 2008.

According to the list of persons who were issued the prohibited arms licence, the Interior Ministry had issued three such licenses on Zardari’s name, while both the Sharif brothers were issued six licenses each.

The Interior Ministry had also issued two licences to PML-Q leader Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain and one to his brother Shaffaat Hussain. Former foreign minister Khursheed Kasuri was granted two licences.

Other prominent political leaders who were issued the prohibited arms license included former interior minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, and Awami National Party (ANP) chief Asfandyar Wali Khan. (ANI)