27,000 fake Punjab arms licences revoked

An Interior Ministry initiative authenticating Punjab arms licences has led to the discovery of 27,000 fake documents, Express News reported.

The documents have been revoked. The Interior Ministry had recently permitted non-prohibited arms licences to be issued. After the 18th Amendment, the federal government only issues arms licences for Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).

Ministry officials had reservations over people listing provincial addresses as their temporary residence in national identity cards to obtain arms. The federal government then decided that arms licences will only be issued to those permanently residing in aforementioned territories.

Separately, the Punjab government has directed DCs and NADRA officials to reject ‘duplicate’ licenses presented for computerisation of records. The move comes in the wake of reports on fake backdate lincence trade blossoming. Weapon dealers have been doling out bribes Rs25,000 and upwards to obtain documents from DC offices.

Sources said a mafia, operating in tandem with the delinquent employed at DC offices, would then stall document verification for up to two years. Of 900,000 Punjab licences, only 40% have been verified.

Source: Express Tribune