Assets statements show legislators’ partiality for guns – Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: In what is a clear manifestation of politicians' obsession with weapons, dozens of legislators have a wide range of weapons in their arsenals, including military-grade deadly weapons designed to inflict the greatest number of casualties.

An exhaustive analysis of the asset declarations declared by members of parliament and provincial assemblies for the year 2018 showed that many of them were in possession of multiple prohibited and prohibited weapons that range from German G-3 battle rifles and MP submachine guns -5. pistols for Russian AK-47 commonly known as Kalashnikov, and from shotguns of different calibers to Austrian Glock and Makarov pistols.

In total, 99 legislators declared their weapons, although most of them provided incomplete details. Many have not mentioned the number and type of weapons they possess, while many others have not mentioned the cost, claiming that the weapons were given away or inherited. Those who have declared weapons in their asset declarations include 19 members of the National Assembly, 10 senators, 47 members of the Sindh Assembly, nine members of Punjab, eight members of Balochistan and six members of the PK Assembly, excluding elected from the National Assembly. former tribal areas administered by the federal government.

Former President Asif Ali Zardari, elected to the National Assembly by the Shaheed Benazirabad constituency, declared the value of the unspecified type and the amount of weapons he possessed at Rs16.60 million. It is estimated that he possessed more than 100 weapons.

99 members of the provincial and national assemblies and the Senate declare weapons among their assets; estimates show that Zardari has more than 100 weapons

The declared value of an unspecified number of weapons owned by Pakistani Senator Ruler Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Mohammad Azam Khan Swati was Rs 5 million.

A former legislator of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said Dawn that what the elected representatives had declared was only one tip of the iceberg. “Weapons are part of the culture in KP and Balochistan. I have dozens of weapons but I have never declared them in my asset declarations, ”he admitted sincerely. In addition, many consider it necessary for their protection considering the level of threat to themselves and the security situation in different areas.

Senator Agha Shahzaib Durrani, from the Pakistan-Nawaz Muslim League (PML-N), representing Baluchistan, valued the cattle and weapons he possessed at 1.5 million rupees, letting people guess how much was spent on the purchase of weapons.

Dr. Fehmida Mirza, federal Minister of Interprovincial Coordination who won NA-230 (Badin seat) on a ticket from the Great Democratic Alliance (GDA), declared firearms worth around Rs906,000 in her own name, In addition to weapons valued Rs1.62 million the name of her husband Zulfikar Mirza.

Ghulam Ali Talpur, who won NA-229 with a PPP ticket, has an unspecified number of weapons worth Rs2.5 million, while the PTI legislator of NA-195 Riaz Mahmood Khan Mazari has an unspecified number of weapons given away and bought for Rs5 million.

Zardari's brother-in-law, MNA Munawar Ali Talpur, who was elected from NA-219, possessed weapons and ammunition worth Rs1.24m, while his wife, MPA Faryal Talpur, elected to the Sindh Assembly of PS-10, It has weapons and ammunition that value Rs1 .48m.

Sheikh Rashid Ahmad, Federal Minister of Railways and head of the Awami Muslim League, elected by Rawalpindi NA-62, has a type and number of unspecified guns and pistols valued at Rs630,000. His nephew, Sheikh Rashid Shafiq, who won the Rawalpindi NA-60 with a PTI ticket, declared that the value of the weapons he possessed was Rs200,000.

Legislators of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement of NA-226 and NA-227 (Hyderabad) Sabir Hussain and Salahuddin claimed to have weapons valuing Rs210,000 and Rs130,000, respectively. PTI MNA of NA-242 (Karachi) Saif Ur Rehman declared that he possessed weapons worth Rs160,000.

Abdul Wasay of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) elected from NA-257 (Qila Saifullah) is the only MNA in Balochistan who has declared weapons in his assets. It has a G-3 rifle and a non-prohibited caliber pistol that values ​​a little more than Rs500,000.

Rafiq Ahmad Jamali, PPP legislator of NA-235 (Dadu), has 29 weapons, including 10 Kalashnikov rifles, four shotguns, three G-3 rifles, an MP-5 and some unspecified weapons. He mentioned the value of only eight of them, including six unspecified weapons and two shotguns, as more than Rs500,000.

PTI MNA Rana Mohammad Qasim Noon of NA-159 (Multan) has two Kalashnikov rifles, a semi-automatic rifle, a 12-hole repeater gun and two pistols with a value of Rs1m.

The PPP MNA Syed Ayaz Ali Shah of NA-231 (Sujawal) has 12 weapons, including six shotguns, five rifles and a gun, all acquired for Rs360,000. Another legislator of the elected party of Jamshoro (NA-233) owns six weapons, including three shotguns, two guns and a rifle whose cost has been set at Rs825,000.

PML-N MNA Rana Mohammad Qasim, who won Kasur's NA-139 seat, claimed to have two Kalashnikov rifles, a G-3 rifle and an unspecified non-prohibited caliber weapon, worth Rs800,000. Syed Faizul Hasan, from the PTI chosen from NA-70 (Gujarat), has two Kalashnikov rifles and a 30-barrel gun. He has not mentioned the cost or value of the weapons.

PTI MNA withdrew Major Tahir Sadiq, who won the Attock seat (NA-55), nor has he declared the value of a 12-gun shotgun and a 38-gun revolver he owned.

PML-N MNA Ibadullah Khan, elected from Shangla (NA-10), has not shared the amount of weapons he possessed, but its value is Rs450,000.

Senators

The declared values ​​of the weapons possessed by the senators of the National Party (NP) of Balochistan, Mohammad Akram and Kabir Ahmad Shahi were Rs1.5m and Rs950,000, respectively.

Independent Baloch Senator Sardar Mohammad Shafiq Tareen has two rifles and two unspecified caliber pistols that cost Rs350,000.

The PTI senator from Punjab Shahzad Wasim has weapons worth Rs223,000. Gianchand, from the PPP, a minority member of Sindh, has a rifle, a shotgun and a gun worth Rs230,000.

The senator of the Balkhistan Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami party, Usman Kakar, who owns an AK-47 rifle, has not mentioned its cost. Senate Vice President Saleem Mandviwalla has a gun worth Rs85,000, while PTI Senator Azam Swati has weapons worth Rs5 million and PML-N Senator Agha Shahzaib Durrani declares the value of cattle and weapons that He possessed as Rs1.5m.

Posted on Dawn, October 24, 2019