SHC issues notice on plea challenging new computerised arms cards

Under new policy, licences were valid for only a year instead of five.

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday issued notice to the top federal and provincial law officer on a plea challenging the interior ministry’s new scheme to introduce computerised arms licence cards.

In July 2012, the SHC had declared that the interior ministry does not have the lawful authority to introduce the new scheme through which computerised arms licences issued by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to replace the old booklet licences. The court said that this scheme violated the Pakistan Arms Ordinance and Pakistan Arms Rules.

The petitioner, Feroze Beg, claimed that to save his skin, former interior minister Rehman Malik made amendments to the Pakistan Arms Ordinance 1965 through which the district coordination officer, or any officer empowered by the provincial government, or any political officer was substituted by NADRA.



Under the new policy, each license would be valid for one year instead of five years as previously determined. NADRA is illegally recovering a fee of Rs1,100 to issue the licences and and Rs600 for renewal, said lawyer Syed M Yahya. “This is illegal since the new policy is contrary to the provisions of the Arms Rules 1924,” he argued, pleading the court declare the new policy illegal and restrain the interior ministry and NADRA from implementation.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 19^th, 2013.