No arms license quota for lawmakers anymore, Interior ministry source confirms

ISLAMABAD: The interior ministry has done away with the quota system of legislators and now they can only get arms licences for themselves alone, ARY News reported Tuesday citing sources inside the department.

Earlier the parliamentarians could get arms licenses easily not just for themselves but for their whole entourage with their quota. Now each lawmaker can only get one license and will not be allowed to sanction a restricted-bore weapon.

Old ways no more applicable to get arms license now under one person’s quota, the sources privy to the development have confirmed to ARY News.

The weapons that are allowed under the rules will be approved and licensed by the interior secretary but those restricted under the law, may only be exceptionally approved of by the minister himself.

In the times of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government, the sources said, some 200,000 licenses were released out of which 100,000 were AK47s and some 222 were rifles.

The federal cabinet has assented this development and has directed the interior ministry for it, source confirmed.

Israel, India and NDS nexus working to destabilise region: Rasheed

Separately today, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said that investigation into the Dasu bus tragedy has been completed.

Addressing a presser in Islamabad, Sheikh Rasheed that the law enforcing agencies (LEAs) have completed the investigation into the tragedy.

“Israel, India and NDS nexus is working to destabilise region, but they will fail in their heinous designs,” the minister said.

Reacting to the statement of his Indian counterpart, he rejected the allegations of sneaking terrorists into occupied Kashmir. The blame game in international media is only meant to damage the image of Pakistan, Interior Minister added.