A parliamentary panel criticised the ministry of interior on Monday for issuing thousands of arms licences too quickly and without following the existing arms policy. The panel also asked for a record of licences issued over the last four years.
Regarding the new arms policy, the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior urged the ministry to seek the prime minister’s approval to reduce flow of illegal arms. Members of the committee observed that ministry officials have been issuing licences despite a ban on new licences until the approval of a new arms policy.
Under the new policy, assuming it is approved by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, only the president and prime minister will be allowed to issue authorisation for licences of ‘prohibited bore’ guns, weapons that are banned except under limited circumstances. The existing laws allow the interior ministry to grant licences of banned weapons.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MNA Bilal Yasin, a member of the committee, expressed concern that no action had been taken against officials allegedly involved in issuing over 34,000 fake licences to citizens, including foreigners, last year.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik, however, argued that his ministry did not issue arms licences after June 30, 2011. Since the 18th amendment, he argued, it has become a provincial matter. “We have already sent a revised arms policy with strict recommendations against the free flow of arms,” Malik told the panel.
During the course of proceedings, lawmakers observed that the old arms policy failed to stop the flow of illegal arms in the state. “There seems no significant development in the government’s efforts to revalidate the arm licences through the National Database Registration Authority (NADRA),” said MNA Sahibzada Murtaza Amin.
“Arms licences are currently issued through a vague policy and are security risks,” Bushra Gohar of the Awami National Party said. “It’s the state’s responsibility to ensure citizens’ security.”
Bushra, who is also a member of the committee, said those who needed arms for their private security services should be issued arms licences through a stringent and well-articulated policy.
As many as 109,863 licences have been submitted with NADRA for revalidation, despite a lapse of five months, interior ministry officials informed the committee. Around 2,400 cases are pending due to incomplete documentation, they added. NADRA was assigned to validate all licences as well as develop software for the issuance of computerised licences to make the process transparent in August last year.
Orphans, the FIA and Ijaz
The committee also disposed of the NADRA Amendment Bill, 2011, seeking registration of orphans. The bill was moved by MNA Tasneem Siddiqui in the National Assembly. The committee was informed that the authority, on directions of the ministry of interior, is already registering those children whose parents have not been identified.
Federal Investigation Agency officials informed the committee that the agency did not hire the services of fresh employees after 2009 as there was ban on recruitment.
Additionally, to a question pertaining to the government’s denial of a visa to Mansoor Ijaz, Malik said the government would not issue the man at the centre of Memogate a visa until he hands his passport to the ministry of interior.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 10th, 2012.
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After seeing countless images of "Militants" carrying heavy weapons of all descriptions openly in the FATA region, I began to wonder how many arms licenses they had taken out! Oh, I forgot, "assets" of the state don't need any!
From what I have heard, it seems like all major political incumbents have taken a good number of arm licenses recently. The timing of this is a matter of concern since this is happening while we are getting close to elections. I wonder how all of this comes together?
Invasion might be near.