KARACHI: In a highly controversial move, Caretaker Prime Minister Justice (retd) Mir Hazar Khan Khoso has approved one prohibited bore and four non-prohibited bore arms licences for himself and all the caretaker cabinet members.

The summary in this regard was moved by the outgoing Interior Minister Malik Habib few days ago. But the caretaker prime minister approved the summary on Tuesday morning, hours before he was awarded guard of honour at the PM House.

The caretaker premier has left the official residence as the newly elected National Assembly is set to elect Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif for the third term on Wednesday.

The award of arms licences have raised eye brows at the bureaucracy but no one had objected to the move.

Interestingly, only Caretaker Law Minister Ahmer Bilal Soofi has refused the licences saying he did not need them.

In another ill-timed decision, Khoso had approved deputation of 100 officers from Balochistan, his home province, to various ministries, divisions and departments of the federal government in grades 17 and above on Monday.