Make changes to the arms law, it’s a provincial matter now, say judges

Advocate General Abdul Fattah Malik says certain quarters had expressed their concerns over the proposed law.


Our Correspondent February 06, 2013
PHOTO: FILE

KARACHI:


The Supreme Court wanted to know what has happened with the new arms laws, sorely needed to bring down Karachi’s homicide rate.


Advocate General Abdul Fattah Malik said certain quarters had expressed their concerns over the proposed law, called the Sindh Arms Act 2012. “They say that there should a uniform law and should be enforced in the entire country instead of just Karachi,” he explained, without naming anyone.

The judges said, however, that senior officers were in agreement on the proper legislation, including changes to the existing Arms Act of 1965.

To this, Waseem Ahmed, the additional chief secretary for the home department, said that they were waiting to hear from the federal law ministry on the draft. But the surprised judges pointed out that Islamabad had nothing to do with this. The province had to make this law because this subject was made its responsibility with the passage of the 18th Amendment.

The bench declared this was the duty of the Sindh Assembly irrespective of whether the other provinces were doing it or not. All departments were asked to submit comments. The case will next be heard today, Thursday.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 7th, 2013.

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