Sindh govt presents new arms licence policy in SC

KARACHI: The Sindh Government presented a new arms licence policy in the Supreme Court on Monday during the hearing of the Karachi violence case, Express News has reported

According to the new policy, licences will not be issued to those under 25 years of age.

Additional Chief Secretary of Sindh Interior Department Waseem Ahmad informed the court that licences will be issued by the department or deputy commissioner only.

During the hearing, Rangers apprised the court with the details about arrests made in the last 22 days. The court expressed satisfaction over the report.

Background

The case stems from the suo motu proceedings initiated by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry in August last year as the city went through one of its bloodiest summers.

During the lengthy hearings held in Karachi, the five judges had heard the federal and provincial governments, law enforcement and intelligence agencies, political stakeholders of the city as well as the representatives of bar associations. In the detailed judgment announced on October 6, 2011, in Islamabad, the apex court ordered several recommendations that the federal, provincial and local governments and law enforcement agencies had to implement in one year.

On October 23 this year, the Supreme Court again took up the case to evaluate how far its orders have been obeyed. The implementation case concluded on November 1 and the judges issued a five-page dossier that contained orders to implement the previous recommendations and new queries that have arisen as new problems emerged. The provincial government and law enforcers were ordered to deal with the influx of foreigners and Taliban into Karachi, arrest the suspects involved in targeted killings, arrest the under-trial prisoners released on parole, and register at least 3,000 unregistered vehicles monthly.

Supreme Court resumed its hearing from November 26 to see what the authorities have done so far to curb lawlessness.