ISLAMABAD: Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer Hussain on Wednesday informed the Senate that 239 parliamentarians were issued no objection certificates (NOCs) to buy weapons from Pakistan Ordinance Factory (POF) Wah Cantonment during 2009 to 2014.

Responding to a question, Rana Tanveer said the Ministry of Defence Production had received 256 directives of NOCs by the Prime Minister for issuance of weapons to the parliamentarians by POF.

The minister said the cases of 17 parliamentarians were under process and assured the House that the remaining NOCs for legislators would be issued soon.

He informed the House that he had also talked to the Director General Weapons at General Head Quarter (GHQ) in this regard.

Rana Tanveer said the present government had never issued a single prohibited bore license, rather the previous government had issued around 70,000 licenses.