With the president emphasising on his party’s elected representatives for good governance and serving the masses, Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Wasan has appointed his close aide, a stenographer in the provincial finance department, as the head of the Arms Section in his department, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Well-placed sources told Pakistan Today that Wasan has appointed Hasan Narejo, a grade-15 employee of the Sindh Finance Department, as the Section Officer (SO) Arms replacing the grade-17 SO, Pir Bux Chajjro, from the post.
The Arms SO is responsible for issuing new weapon licences, renewal of licences, dealing with weapon suppliers in the province, arms stores and all the other matters relevant to arms and ammunition.
The sources claimed that Narejo, working as a BPS-15 stenographer in the provincial finance department, is a close associate of the current home minister and hails from his hometown of Khairpur.
“Narejo was given the additional charge in violation of rules and regulations of the Sindh government,” they said. “He is issuing hundreds of arms licences on regular basis on bribe.”
The post of Arms SO is considered the “most lucrative” job in the provincial home department as it deals with weapons, issuance of licences and other sensitive issues.
“The appointment on political grounds of a junior employee has caused discontent among the senior officials of the home department,” the sources said.
Attributing the recent relaxation of the ban on carrying weapons to the appointment of Narejo, the sources alleged that more and more licences would be issued to the people that may result in a critical law and order situation in the future.
Under a recent notification by the Sindh Home Department, the people can now carry licenced weapons but are not allowed to openly display them in public. The ban on carrying weapons was imposed in the province four years ago owing to then deteriorating law and order situation.
The Wasan connection: from stenographer to section officer
