Cabinet Annuls Ban on Arms Licence Issuance

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi headed the federal cabinet meeting where the ban on licenses for non-prohibited bore weapons was lifted.

Along with that, a proposal for modulation of prohibited weapons’ license was also presented before the federal cabinet.

The Proposal

The federal cabinet approved the proposed plan for the regulation of issuance of licenses for automatic (prohibited) weapons. As per the proposal,

• Automatic weapons to be transmuted to semi-automatic.
• This conversion from automatic to semi-automatic will only be done by authorized dealers and within the deadline.
• Gun owners will have to obtain fresh authorization for possessing arms irrespective of previously held licenses.
• Weapons holders can submit their automatic arms to government at specified prices.

Prohibited Bore and Non-Prohibited Bore Weapons

• Shotgun .12/.14/.16 bore including pump action non automatic.
• Revolvers/pistols  All bores.
• Rifles.22 bore non automatic

About two months ago, the government suspended the licenses issued for possession of automatic weapons. The interior ministry directed all automatic arms’ holders to either get the arms converted to semi-automatic or sell them to the government.

As per the orders of the interior ministry all gun holders had to convert their weapons and get them approved by 15th January 2018.

---

Read More: Arms Licenses Should be Linked to CNICs: PM Abbasi

---

The ministry also added an alternate option for those who didn’t want their weapon converted. The holders could give their automatic weapon to,

• the deputy commissioner,
• district magistrate,
• the political agent or
• the district coordination officer

and receive Rs 50,000 in reimbursement.

If an arms holder failed to comply by the orders, the ministry made it clear that the Prohibited Bore License will be cancelled.