Manzoor Wassan rejects Mirza's claim of issuing 300,000 arms licences

Wassan says only 128,000 arms licences were issued during the last 11 years.

KARACHI: Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Wassan rejected claims that former Sindh senior minister Zulfiqar Mirza had issued 300,000 arms licences, Express 24/7 reported on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters in his office, Wasaan asserted that only 700,000 arms licences have been issued from 1947 to 2000.

He said 128,000 arms licences were issued during the last 11 years.

As reported earlier this month, addressing a massive public gathering in Lyari, Mirza said he was ‘proud’ to have issued 300,000 weapon licences during his tenure.

“I gave the arms licences to the people of Karachi, not for aerial firing at wedding ceremonies but for times like these when no one is safe,” Mirza said.

Speaking about the joint search operation conducted in Karachi, Wassan said seven more target killers were arrested.

He also said that the law and order situation in Karachi has improved considerably.

The Home Minister said indiscriminate action is being taken by the government and no criminal is being spared.

Alleged target killer among suspects arrested in Karachi

Karachi police on Thursday arrested several people during a search operation in Liaqatabad while an alleged target killer was taken into custody from Saudabad.

The police reportedly raided Naseer Square, arresting half a dozen suspects and recovering weapons from them.

Authorities say investigations are still being conducted.

In another incident, Saudabad police arrested an alleged target killer, Zafar alias Andha.

Sub-inspector Shah Faisal told the media that police obtained a Kalashnikov from Zafar's posession. Zafar has confessed to committing several murders.

Yesterday, authorities detained nearly 100 suspects and seized several weapons after conducting a joint search operation in Sohrab Goth. They claim to have released most of the detainees.

The entire area was cordoned off by barricades and no one was allowed to leave till the search operation had ended.