KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday informed the Sindh Assembly that the policy formulated by the provincial government to regulate issuance of arms licences for prohibited bore weapons was kept “in abeyance” as the federal government wanted a uniform policy across the country.

Furnishing statements and replies to lawmakers’ written and verbal queries during Question Hour in the house, the chief minister said that the provincial government had devised a policy to regulate the issuance of prohibited bore arms licences after devolution of powers under 18th Amendment to the Constitution.

“We took up the matter with the interior ministry at a meeting on Dec 24, 2018, but they observed that a uniform policy would be devised in this regard for the whole country,” he said adding that the matter was being taken up again with the interior ministry.

The chief minister, who also holds the portfolio of home department, said that the interior minister was earlier issuing licences for prohibited bore arms.

He was replying to the written and verbal questions raised by Grand Democratic Alliance’s member Arif Mustafa Jatoi, who had asked him if the provincial government had any policy regarding the issuance of prohibited bore weapons.

Responding to another written question asked by Mr Jatoi, Mr Shah said that the inspector general of police had reported that as many as 2,993 people were murdered between Jan 1, 2017 and Sept 30, 2108.

The CM also gave district and unit-wise number of constables.

When asked by GDA’s Nusrat Sehar Abbasi as to why highest number of constables (13,343) was posted in Larkana police range, he said that it was under the police command to make posting according to requirements.

He said that constables were recruited by the police department as per its requirement through National Testing System.

GDA’s Mr Jatoi pointed out that constables approached members of the provincial assembly for getting postings and asked the lawmakers not to use influence in this regard.

The chief minister replied that approaching someone for getting posting was misconduct.

Replying to another written question asked by Ms Abbasi, he said that a scheme of establishing 105 highway patrolling posts in Karachi, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sukkur, Ghotki, Naushahro Feroze, Larkana and Jacobabad was approved by the Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) in 2005 with estimated cost of Rs436 million.

Mr Shah said that the scheme was delayed for non-releasing of required funds as per plan due to less release of funds from the federal government.

He said that initially the scheme was approved for 105 patrolling posts but later the number was reduced to 72 posts due to financial constraints.

The chief minister said that at present 11 patrolling posts were completed and handed over to the provincial police and the remaining would be completed as funds were released by the federal government as per its commitment.

Separately, he said that there were as many as 269 private security companies in the province.

He said the number of arms licences issued to them was 48,973 and number of their personnel was 68,938.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2019