Arms and ammo: PHC seeks list of prohibited weapons’ licences in K-P
Directs interior ministry to submit the details in court
PESHAWAR:
The interior ministry has been directed to submit a list of licences of prohibited bore weapons issued to lawmakers of national and provincial assemblies, senators and political workers from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
A Peshawar High Court bench of Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Syed Afsar Shah issued the orders on Friday while hearing a petition filed by a lawyer who wants a licence for prohibited bore weapons to protect himself.
Advocate Shabbir Hussain Gigyani filed the petition in the PHC citing the Federation of Pakistan, the provincial government, Home and Tribal Affairs department and federal interior ministry as respondents.
Gigyani’s counsel, Farmanullah Sailab told the court his client’s protection is necessary given deteriorating law and order. “My client should be issued a weapon licence that can be used across the country,” said Sailab.
“Militants are equipped with sophisticated weapons, while common people have traditional weapons, hence equation is required,” states the petition.
It goes on to add that a particular segment of the society, including political workers, MPAs, MNAs and senators are granted licences for their protection, but members of other classes are not. “It is a clear discrimination and violation of Article 25 of the Constitution and Article 7 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948.”
According to Article 25, all citizens are equal before the law and are entitled to equal protection. Article 7 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights also reiterates all are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law.
The petitioner maintains he is willing to pay licence fee and other relevant charges. Gigyani requested the court to issue directives to the respondents to issue a valid arms licence of prohibited bore rifle to protect his life and property.
The court then sought a list of licences issued by the interior ministry for prohibited weapons.
Like political workers and politicians, lawyers in the country are also facing security threats. On Thursday, a lawyer in Multan received threatening letters from a militant group warning him of serious consequences if he continues to represent a blasphemy suspect’s case.
On May 8, Advocate Rashid Rehman who was representing a blasphemy accused was gunned down by unidentified people who barged into his office in Multan and opened fire.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 6th, 2014.
The interior ministry has been directed to submit a list of licences of prohibited bore weapons issued to lawmakers of national and provincial assemblies, senators and political workers from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
A Peshawar High Court bench of Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Syed Afsar Shah issued the orders on Friday while hearing a petition filed by a lawyer who wants a licence for prohibited bore weapons to protect himself.
Advocate Shabbir Hussain Gigyani filed the petition in the PHC citing the Federation of Pakistan, the provincial government, Home and Tribal Affairs department and federal interior ministry as respondents.
Gigyani’s counsel, Farmanullah Sailab told the court his client’s protection is necessary given deteriorating law and order. “My client should be issued a weapon licence that can be used across the country,” said Sailab.
“Militants are equipped with sophisticated weapons, while common people have traditional weapons, hence equation is required,” states the petition.
It goes on to add that a particular segment of the society, including political workers, MPAs, MNAs and senators are granted licences for their protection, but members of other classes are not. “It is a clear discrimination and violation of Article 25 of the Constitution and Article 7 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948.”
According to Article 25, all citizens are equal before the law and are entitled to equal protection. Article 7 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights also reiterates all are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law.
The petitioner maintains he is willing to pay licence fee and other relevant charges. Gigyani requested the court to issue directives to the respondents to issue a valid arms licence of prohibited bore rifle to protect his life and property.
The court then sought a list of licences issued by the interior ministry for prohibited weapons.
Like political workers and politicians, lawyers in the country are also facing security threats. On Thursday, a lawyer in Multan received threatening letters from a militant group warning him of serious consequences if he continues to represent a blasphemy suspect’s case.
On May 8, Advocate Rashid Rehman who was representing a blasphemy accused was gunned down by unidentified people who barged into his office in Multan and opened fire.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 6th, 2014.