After refusal of Sindh Government to join the arms renewal campaign launched by Federal Government to check the toll of arms, the Interior Ministry has decided to allow provinces to renew the arms licenses by their own, informed sources in Interior Ministry revealed to Business Recorder on Thursday.
National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) will now renew the arms licenses issued by Federal Government or by Interior Ministry, sources said. Renewal or revalidation of Arms Licenses would help draw a picture regarding the legal and illegal arms round the country and after expiry of the amnesty deadline a crackdown would be launched to recover illegal arms, they said.
The Arms Licenses' holders will have to pass a litmus test during the renewal process of old arms licenses to make the system transparent and to eradicate the menace of illegal arms and avoid the misuse of weapons, sources said. Interior Minister Rehman Malik has instructed NADRA to convert all previously issued Arms Licenses into a smartcard by September 30, they said, adding that the applicant will bring original arms license and computerised national identity card (CNIC).
NADRA will verify the CNICs on its database to check the genuineness of applicants while applicant's credentials will also be checked by different law enforcement agencies to look into his past and track record, Interior Ministry sources said. The arms license holders were asked to visit a designated office in every district of the country and submit original arms license and CNIC along with application.
When contacted the Deputy Chairman, NADRA Tariq Malik informed this scribe that the NADRA has decided to kick off the renewal campaign of the arms licenses from Monday (August 15). He said that the NADRA will renew the licenses issued by Federal Government or by Interior Ministry as provinces are separately renewing the licenses they have issued. "We will make quick efforts to complete the process within a week with the aim to give government a clear picture regarding the district-wise registered weapons round the country", Tariq Malik said.
He said that NADRA has designated one center in every district where on counter was spared to receive the applications regarding the renewal of arms licenses. The applicant must bring original CNIC, original copy of license and an application at NADRA counter, Malik said, adding that NADRA will scan the application form and generate its own e-form and after compiling the data on database it will be sent to Interior Minister for double check and after thorough check the Ministry will give online approval or rejection of the applications.
He said that after the procedure will complete, it will give a clear picture of arms in the country and after end of the amnesty expiring on September 30, the Government will have clear picture, which will help in crackdown for deweaponisation.