NWFP Assembly demands lifting of ban on licensed arms

The NWFP Assembly on Friday echoed with the demands for lifting ban on carrying licensed weapons as the treasury has assured the demanding members that they would look seriously into matter.
The matter was raised by Israrullah Khan Gandapur, a PPP-Sherpao MPA from D.I. Khan through a call attention notice, who was also later joined by Anwar Kamal Khan Marwat of PML-N from district Lakki.
Earlier, the assembly started proceedings after a two-day interval with Speaker Bakht Jehan Khan in the chair.
Taking the floor, the soft-spoken Gandapur from Dera diverted the attention of the house towards the imposition of arms display by both federal and provincial governments through a notification issued on March 1, 2000. He said that the ban had been imposed under Arms Ordinance 1965, which is creating problems for the people. He said that although the government was required to mentioned areas of ban. However, he said the whole country had been generalised. The ban is continued for last five years.
He said, as situation in our province is totally different from parts of the country, therefore, he urged on the provincial government to raise the matter with federal government and specify areas for it. He said that despite payment of license fee they are not allowed to keep it even inside their vehicles.
Supporting the contentions of Gandapur, Anwar Kamal Khan Marwat of PML-N said that although there was no ban on the possession of licensed weapons.
But, he said the government had banned it under Section 144 of the Pakistan Panel Code (PPC).
Responding to the call attention notice, provincial minister for law and parliamentary affairs, Malik Zafar Azam said that notification has banned the display of unlicensed weapons and license holders can posses their arms. However, he assured that the provincial government is ready to remove the grievances of any member.
Earlier, the Speaker disposed the privilege motion of Israrullah Khan Gandapur regarding the suspension of the membership of 41 members including him by the Election Commission of Pakistan.
Nighat Yasmeen Orakzai of PML-Q raised the matter of the leakage out of the entry test for admission into medical colleges in the province. She called for taking to task all responsible officials of the Education Testing and Evaluation Authority (ETEA). She said that the papers were sold out on amount of Rs 7.5 million. The action was taken against 45 officials, but all have been left free and only two paid employees a driver and naib qasid are under detention in the case.