ISLAMABAD, Jan 26: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani issued 2,788 arms licences for prohibited bore during his first six months in office, the National Assembly was informed on Monday.

In a written reply to a question by Dr Ghulam Haider Samejo, the interior ministry said that the prime minister had granted approval to these applications between March 1 and Aug 30, 2008.

Mr Samejo had also sought information about the names and addresses of the applicants getting these licences. The ministry promised to provide the information in the next session.

In reply to a question by Faiz Mohammad Khan, the ministry said that 7,197 applications seeking licences for prohibited bore had been received in 2008 and 47,475 for non-prohibited bore.

The house was informed that due to shortage of staff and an unusual increase in the demand for licences, processing of those applications had been delayed.

In response to a question by Ms Belum Husnain, the house was informed that 189 licences had been issued for prohibited bore to 124 lawmakers in 2005-06 and 2006-07. Both men and women members of the National Assembly, Senate and provincial assemblies got issued licences in their names from outgoing prime minister Shaukat Aziz.