Under the radar: Five clans oppose registration of arms manufacturing units

Elders say FR Kohat’s status as tribal and semi-autonomous area would be jeopardised.

PESHAWAR: All five clans of Adam Khel Afridis, living in Darra Adam Khel, FR Kohat have strongly opposed a proposal by the political administration to register firearms manufacturing units in the area.

The elders of Darra Adam Khel believe that registering with the government would automatically bring them into the tax net and disturb their tribal status. As a result, all five clans, Akorwal, Zarghon Khel, Tor Chapper, Sherakai and Basti Khel, have decided to resist the move.

The FR Kohat political administration had directed managements of arms manufacturing units to get registered with the government around a month ago, inviting widespread criticism.

Thus far, three Grand Jirgas have been convened in the region and a 10-member committee of elders has been selected to negotiate the matter with the political administration.

Malik Akbar Khan, who belongs to Zarghon Khel and is a member of the committee, told The Express Tribune that the clans are united in their stance and will resist the move.

According to Khan, Darra Adam Khel has been home to hundreds of gunsmiths for centuries. “Once the units are registered, the political administration will establish a police station as well to monitor them. This will effectively put an end to the tribal and semi-autonomous status of this region,” said Khan.

He added the committee was negotiating with the political administration and has put forward an alternative plan to inform the government about all firearms and ammunition bought from Darra and being shipped to other parts of the country.

This, according to him, would effectively eliminate the possibility of misuse of weapons by criminals and terrorists.

An arms dealer from the region also maintained the jirga’s stance on registration of firearms manufacturing units. He said there would be no compromise on the matter as making firearms was the locals’ only source of income.

However, an official of the political administration said the decision has been made and the government has directed the political administration to implement it because it is widely believed that locally-produced small arms are fuelling militancy across the country.

Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority Regional Manager Javed Khan told The Express Tribune there are at least 200 factories producing small firearms in Darra Adam Khel in addition to hundreds of smaller workshops. “According to our survey, at least 10,000 gunsmiths are directly involved in Darra Adam Khel’s small arms manufacturing cluster,” he said.

Agreeing with the government’s decision, Javed said once these units are registered, they would be able to purchase weapons-grade steel from across the country and use improved techniques to produce better quality firearms.

“Registration is the first step towards modernising arms production in Darra. Otherwise, the manufacturing units will continue to be considered a threat and be shut down one day
affecting the local economy,” said Javed.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 12^th, 2015.