Endangering national security: Officials issue fake arms licences, walk Scot-free

FIA sends cases to Interpol, documents reveal criminal record holders recruited.

LAHORE:

Some of the most important players involved in a massive fake arms licence racket are walking scot-free as a result of the Punjab police’s failure to arrest them on time, according to official documents obtained by The Express Tribune.

As many as 166 accused, including home department officials, clerks of the Gujrat branch of firearms licensing and arms dealers allegedly involved in the issuance of more than 13,283 fake arm licences have managed to escape the country, the documents revealed.

The documents further state that the possession of such a large amount of illegal arms (with or without a license) is a terrorist act and that these weapons could possibly land into the hands of persons or organisations working to “create panic or insecurity” in the country. The documents specifically point to the responsibility of government officials in this regard, saying the government servants who issued fake licenses have actually participated in aiding and abetting the offenders, including terrorist organisations.

The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), however, has managed to arrest two clerks of the firearms licensing branch after completing an investigation into the scam.

Financial loss

Besides endangering national security, it has also been discovered that, after issuing the bogus licenses, the clerks responsible did not even deposit the official fee of Rs2,000 per license in the government’s account – thereby causing a loss of Rs26 million to the national exchequer. In addition, the clerks also took Rs3,000 in bribes from each licence seeker. Most of the permits were provided through local arms dealers, the report further disclosed.

Recruitment of criminal record holders

During a high-level meeting held on January 17 in this regard, it also came to light that a number of people with criminal records had been recruited into the Punjab police, and that a large number of proclaimed offenders in Gujrat district had not been arrested. The law minister then referred the matter to the prosecution department.

In turn, the prosecution department submitted a summary to the chief minister of Punjab. He then constituted a committee to inquire into the scam.

Cases sent to FIA, Interpol

In an earlier meeting, the Gujrat District Police Officer (DPO) informed the committee that 59 cases involving the fake licences have been sent to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in order to issue red warrants against the proclaimed offenders. Another 107 have been sent to Interpol, for which 32 red warrants have been issued so far. Out of these, four offenders have died in police encounters while six have been arrested. The Gujrat DPO suggested that a team of police officers may be sent to Dubai to arrest the remaining accused.

He also stated during the meeting that due to the non-availability of the complete addresses of fake licence holders, letters to each individual could not be sent and, rather, a public notice directing the licence holders to return their licences and arms has been published in local newspapers.

So far, the DPO informed the meeting, four arms licences along with arms have been surrendered at the Lala Musa police station.

The meeting ended with a note of an ‘unsatisfactory performance’ by the committee, official documents further revealed.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 22^nd, 2012.