Sindh government floats new policy for arms licences

With a view to offset the political pressure emerged from the controversial arms licenses issue, the Sindh government has floated a policy to scale down the number of licenses issued from 2001 to 2010.
According to new policy, those people who have not paid annual fees of their arms licenses since 2001 to 2010, they would not be charged amount in head of penalty, if they would pay fees within next three months.
While, those people who have not paid renewal fees of their licenses since last five years and would not pay renewal fees during coming three months, their licenses would be cancelled and weapons would be seized.
Home department has also issued a notification in this regard.
It is pertinent to mention here that former provincial home minister Dr Zulifqar Mirza had stated that 0.3 million licenses were issued in his tenure.
While, Mutahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) had taken this issue very seriously and appealed Supreme Court to take notice of the matter.
This decision has been made during a meeting held at Home Department; officials have discussed the said issue in detail.
The meeting has reviewed the record of licenses issued during the period of last 10 years, since 2001 to 2010.
The officials have decided that those who have not paid annual fees of their weapon licenses since 2001 to 2010, they would not be charged with fine if they would pay fees within next three months.
The meeting further decided that those people who have not paid renewal fees of their licenses since last five years and would not pay renewal fees during coming three months, their licenses would be cancelled and weapons would be seized.
In this connection, a high level official of Home Department told Business Recorder that department has taken this step keeping in view the situation created after Dr Zulifqar Mirza's statement regarding the issuance of more than 0.3 million weapon licenses during his tenure. He said that according to official record a large number of people have not paid fees of renewal of their licenses and if the people would not get benefit by this decision, their weapons would be seized.
He further said that it is expected hat a large number of people would not follow this practice and home department would issue directives to cancel defaulted licenses. He concluded that with this exercise, Home Department would be succeeded to reduce the number of licenses issued in the province since last 11 years. He hinted that further more difficult decision would also be expected in this regard by the Home Department.