Under the National Action Plan (NAP), a vigorous campaign has been launched against possessors of illegal weapons, said Punjab Minister for Home Colonel (r) Shuja Khanzada while presiding over a special meeting regarding NAP on Thursday.
Senior police officers and heads of agencies were present on the occasion. The provincial minister said that the arms licenses issued from 2009 to 2014 by the government can be renewed from NADRA till February 28, 2015. He said that the issue of new arms licenses will be start from the end of February 2015 and in case of no objection, license will be issued to the applicant within 15 days.
Khanzada said that the record of arms license holder and weapon dealers will be verified through NADRA so that the apprehension of more than one weapon with the same number could be removed.
The home minister said that 500 monitor systems have been given to the police for verification of arms licenses through which all particulars of arms license holder will be displayed using the thumb print. He said that cases against the persons having weapons without license will be heard in anti-terrorist court and those guilty will be punished with 14-years imprisonment. He said that due to the strict action by the police and other law enforcement agencies and promulgation of five ordinances, the crime rate has reduced by more than 45 percent.
He said that 9,233 illegal weapons were recovered during general holdup and 315 illegal weapons in search operation in 10 days whereas 420 weapons have been taken into possession during display of arms and 365 cases have been registered. The provincial minister said that on the violation of ban on display of arms, licenses of three Kalashnikovs, 18 rifles, 14 guns and 20 pistols have been cancelled and cases registered against the persons responsible.
SCHOOLS SECURITY MADE FOOLPROOF: He said that the security of schools and other installations had been made foolproof. He said that the joint rapid deployment force of army and police had been deployed on strategic points throughout the province and this force will reach to the site of incident within 5 to 7 minutes. He appealed to the people that in case they see any extraordinary situation, they should immediately call on 15 and 1717 so that timely action could be taken.
