550,000 gun licences stand cancelled

CM explains door still open for revalidation of genuine documents

KARACHI: The Sindh government has cancelled all arms licenses which have not been verified to date despite several official reminders, chief minister Murad Ali said disclosed in his media talk after presiding over a meeting at the federal commerce chamber on Saturday.

"However, the cancelled licenses could be revalidated if the necessary documents are presented. Otherwise they stand cancelled," he added.



The Sindh government had been extending the date for verification of arms licenses for the last several years but "I have refused to extend it further and have cancelled over 550,000 licenses which had not been verified so far," he said. The chief minister (CM) explained that "my government has decided to give an opportunity to  the holders of cancelled licenses to file an application with the home department to revalidate their licenses but all this depends upon the authentication of the required documents."

There were over one million arms licenses in Sindh, of them only 450,000 have been verified so far. The chief minister has directed the home department to launch a web page to post details of the verified and cancelled licenses from August 20. He also urged them to launch a similar mobile phone application where people can see the status of their arms licenses.

Replying to a question, the CM said that special assistants and ministers have not been appointed on a `son-quota' basis but the majority of them are elected MPAs while a few have been chosen to represent a particular community or on a technical basis (technocrats).



Earlier, addressing the gathering at the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry organised by the Rehabilitation Response (RR), the CM lauded the services of its trustee Dr Amjad Gulzar and Dr Iqbal for aiding humanity. On Shah's request, all the guests and audience members rose from their seats and applauded to pay tribute to both the living legends. Dr Guzar also handed over keys of seven fully equipped ambulances to the CM for public use.

Shah directed health minister Dr Sikandar Mendhro and health secretary Ahmed Bux Narejo, who were present at the event, to work out a plan to start a second shift in government hospitals. "I am thankful to RR that they have proposed a second shift at government hospitals to make them functional round the clock," he said, adding that he has already declared an emergency in the health and education sectors. This move would help achieve the agenda of providing health services in the government sector at all times, he explained.

All government hospitals function only during official hours, however, emergency services are available 24/7.

The CM said he had launched a Rs10 billion special package to repair, rehabilitate, recast and reconstruct important roads of the metropolis. "I know Karachi contributes in the national exchequer more than any other city, therefore it must be given due share for which I am striving hard and working to give a new beautiful shape to the city," he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 14^th, 2016.