Counting Licenses: FIA’s inquiry on weapon permits

FIA ordered to conduct inquiry into total number of arms licences issued by the ministry of interior since 2000.

ISLAMABAD: In a high level meeting chaired by the Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Monday, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) was ordered to conduct an inquiry into the total number of arms licences issued by the ministry of interior since 2000. The data will be based on records of the National Bank of Pakistan, which was authorised to collect license fee deposits. The minister also decided that NADRA shall revalidate all arms licences issued by the interior ministry as well as the provincial governments with immediate effect. Malik also directed the Printing Corporation of Pakistan to provide complete records of arms licences printed and issued to the federal and provincial governments since 1947.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 6^th, 2011.