Deweaponisation: Residents asked to surrender illegal weapons

Citizens are required to surrender illegal arms either at police stations or at offices of the deputy commissioners.

KARACHI:

After imposing a ban on the issuance of new arms’ licences, the Sindh government has given October 11 as the deadline to surrender all illegal weapons before initiating a campaign against it.

“During the drive, the  law enforcement agencies will carry out a door-to-door search operation, and register cases against those with illegal weapons under the Anti-Terrorism Act,”  said Sindh Chief Secretary Muhammad Ijza Chaudhry, adding that possession of such weapons could lead up to 14 years of imprisonment.

According to a statement issued by the chief secretary’s office, the deputy commissioners of each district would supervise the deweaponisation drive and also check the five-year records of weapon dealers. Citizens are required to surrender illegal arms either at their police station or at the offices of the deputy commissioners.

The CS directed officials to get support through the Geographic Information System for the delimitation of the constituencies - work on which started on Thursday.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 27^th, 2013.