Keeping Weapons: Officials to pay for licence renewal

KARACHI: Federal and provincial government officials and those working for the armed forces will now have to pay for the renewal of their arms licences, the Sindh government has decided. The home department is expected to release an official notification soon. The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting that was held in January under the supervision of Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, who had given his approval. The renewal fee is Rs500 per year so the government is expected to earn up to Rs20 million from the 35,000 licensed arms issued in the province.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 27^th, 2011.