SHC orders Sindh govt to devise arms’ licenses policy

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday directed the provincial government to devise policy for issuance of prohibited and non-prohibited arms licences, ARY News reported.

Hearing a petition, the court said federal government’s ban on automatic arms licences was no more effective. The Sindh government now had authority to allow extension in licence period or order its issuance.

Additional advocate general told the court that Sindh Arms Rules had already been formed. The court directed him to enact new policy in the light of Pakistan Arms Ordinance and Sindh Arms Rules.

On Dec 15, 2018, the federal government had reinstated 90,000 licences of the prohibited bore. The Ministry of Interior had cancelled these licences in 2017. The ban of non-prohibited bore was lifted for civil officers and common people.

The notification by the Interior Ministry said the prohibited bore arms licences were cancelled on December 26, 2017.

At the time of cancellation, the citizens with arms were advised to deposit their arms in exchange of Rs50,000. Those who did not deposit it were bound to change them into non-prohibited bore arms.

In March last year, the SHC had suspended the interior ministry’s notification to revoke licences issued to lawmakers to carry automatic arms of the prohibited bore.