The Punjab government has decided to halt the computerization and verification of old manual arms licenses, marking a major policy shift in the province’s weapons regulation process.
According to a spokesperson for the Punjab Home Department, the process of validating and digitizing old manual arms licenses has been stopped with immediate effect. Earlier, the provincial government had granted a final deadline to individuals and institutions holding manual licenses to get them computerized.
Under the new decision, the revalidation and computerization of individual, institutional, and security company arms licenses has been suspended. The Home Department has also issued a fresh notification regarding manual licenses for private individuals and security companies.
The department stated that all previous orders related to manual arms licenses stand cancelled, and has sought detailed reports from divisional commissioners and additional secretaries (judicial) regarding arms licenses computerized between March and November.
In addition, the Home Department has called for progress reports on the collection of illegal weapons and the ongoing de-weaponization campaign. All commissioners and deputy commissioners across Punjab have been instructed to submit comprehensive reports by the evening of November 13.
Officials have also been asked to provide data on applications received and directives issued from March to November concerning license verification and issuance.
It may be recalled that the Home Department initiated the computerization of manual arms licenses in 2016, setting December 31, 2020, as the final deadline. Licenses that were not computerized by that date were cancelled.
In the latest development, the department has circulated an official letter to all divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners across Punjab to implement the new directives.
