Sources from the Wolesi Jirga, the Lower House of Parliament, told TOLOnews on Friday that some former MPs have not returned over 1,400 firearms and more than 20 vehicles belonged to government while based on the law they should have handed them over to the parliament.
According to sources, among the 1,400 firearms, there are hundreds of AK-47, jammers and also most of the vehicles are rangers with two armored vehicles.
Parliament secretariat, however, said the number of firearms remained with former MPs are around 600.
Rahimullah Ghalib, deputy head of parliament's secretariat, said they have made an agreement with a number of former MPs to submit the government firearms and vehicles to new MPs.
“At least 680 firearms have remained with former MPs with almost 70 jammers. They might have obtained these things from the Ministry of Interior or other departments based on their influence on them,” Ghalib said.
The Ministry of Interior warned that if the MPs do not hand the vehicles over to government, police will step in.
“If the parliament faces problems in the collection of firearms and vehicles from the former MPs and need force, police will cooperate with them,” Acting Interior Minister Massoud Andarabi said.
A number of incumbent MPs said government gives four firearms, rangers and some other facilities to each lawmaker.
“We have not been given the necessary facilities, because they say that they do not have them. I think the threats (against MPs) also have increased,” Mahdi Rasikh, an MP, said.
A number of Kabul residents said if the firearms are not collected from the former MPs, it is possible that these arms will change to a threat against the security of the people.