National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) will start the revalidation process of arms licenses from Monday (August 15) and within a week the process will be completed. Nadra, after receiving instructions from the Interior Ministry regarding the revalidation of arms licenses had designated one centre in every district to receive applications, said Tariq Malik, Deputy Chairman Nadra here on Friday.
The Interior Ministry had directed Nadra to revalidate the licenses issued by the federal government or by the Ministry while the licenses issued by the provincial governments would be renewed by respective provinces, Malik said. He said that Nadra had made arrangements to complete the process within a week with an aim of giving the government a clear picture regarding district-wise registered weapons throughout the country. For this purpose, he added Nadra had designated one centre in every district where a counter had been fixed for revalidation of the arms licenses.
He dispelled the impression of non-verification of applicants, saying that original computerised CNICs and original licenses were pre-requisite for revalidation along with application. Nadra would verify the CNICs on its database to check the genuineness of an applicant while the applicant's credentials would also be checked by different law enforcement agencies to look into his past track record, he said.
The applicants must bring their original CNICs, original copy of license and an application at Nadra counter, Malik said, adding that the application would be scanned after which a digitised e-form will be created. He said that after completion of the process and checking the applications on Nadra database it would be sent to Interior Ministry for recheck and after thorough investigation the Ministry would give online approval or rejection of the applications. He said that once the revalidation process was completed, it would give a clear picture of the arms in the country and after the end of the amnesty expiring on September 30, the Government had plans to launch crackdown for deweaponisation.