Pakistani lawmakers love for firearms documented in 2018 asset declaration statement

Nearly 100 lawmakers in Pakistan, including former president Asif Ali Zardari, possess several types of weapons, according to a declaration made by them. In his 2018 asset statement, Zardari, who was elected to the National Assembly, declared the value of his nearly 100 pieces of weapons at Rs 16.60 million, the Dawn newspaper reported on Thursday.

Zardari, the former co-chairperson of Pakistan People's Party, was followed by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Senator Mohammad Azam Khan Swati, who owns arms worth Rs 5 million. In all, 99 legislators declared possession of weapons, though most of them provided sketchy details, the report said.

Those who have declared weapons in their assets' statements include 19 members of the National Assembly, 10 Senators, 47 members of the Sindh Assembly, nine members of Punjab Assembly, eight members of Balochistan Assembly and six members of the KP Assembly, excluding those elected from the erstwhile federally administered tribal areas, the Dawn said. Many have not mentioned the number and type of the weapons they own while many others have not cited the cost, claiming that the arms were gifted or inherited.

A thorough analysis of the assets statements showed many were in possession of multiple prohibited and non-prohibited weapons, ranging from German G-3 battle rifles and MP-5 submachine guns to Russian AK-47. The G-3 battle rifle was developed in the end years of World War II. Dozens of countries use it in tactical operations.

The MP5 is one of the most widely used submachine guns in the world, adopted by 40 nations and numerous military, law enforcement, intelligence, and security organizations. It is widely used by SWAT teams in North America. The AK-47, also known as the Avtomat Kalashnikova, is the most popular and widely used assault rifle in the world because of its reliability under harsh conditions, low production costs compared to contemporary Western weapons, availability in virtually every geographic region, and ease of use.