Security upgrade: Home Dept orders action against illegal weapons

Police have been directed to start crackdown.


Akbar Bajwa January 24, 2015
The official said that 9,000 applications for new weapons licences were pending with the department. PHOTO: AFP

LAHORE:


The government has decided to launch a crackdown against illegal weapons in the province, The Express Tribune has learnt. Requesting anonymity, a Home Department official, said that the crackdown would be part of a new security plan.

“The new plan has been devised by the department in consultation with police and other security agencies. Along with the crackdown, police and other law enforcement agencies have been asked to act more vigorously against those involved in firing in the air, public display of weapons and possession of illegal arms,” he said.


He said that illegal weapons posed a great danger to peace in the province. “Orders for a crackdown have been forwarded to the Police Department,” he said.

The official said that 9,000 applications for new weapons licences were pending with the department. “However, no new licence will be issued until the security conditions in the province improve,” he said.

He said that the Home Department had also directed police to send it reports on security situation on a daily basis. Hammad Raza, the PRO to Operations DIG, confirmed that the orders had been received. “Police have already launched a crackdown against possession of unlicensed weapons and firing in the air and public display of weapons,” he said. He said Lahore police had registered 4,581 cases of possession of illegal arms in 2014. “Of these, 4,657 suspects were taken into custody. Police seized 61 AK-47s, 190-rifles, 358 shot guns, 4,287-revolvers and 190 pistols, 11-carbines, 57 daggers and 113,643 bullets from the possession of the suspects,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 25th, 2015.

COMMENTS (1)

Aliya | 9 years ago | Reply

Weapons should be banned altogether for any civillian, just as in many western countries including united kingdom. period !

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