Minister says current govt has stricter policy, prohibited-bore licences issued only to eligible individuals
Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman, chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior, presides over a committee meeting at Parliament House, Islamabad, on January 27, 2026. Photo: X
The Senate Standing Committee on Interior on Tuesday directed authorities to take action against arms licences issued to non-tax filers, while also discussing a range of law and order issues, particularly in the riverine areas of Sindh and Punjab.
The meeting was held at Parliament House under the chairmanship of Senator Faisal Saleem with members briefed on the issuance of arms licences.
The members were informed that 2,962 non-filers and 189 tax filers were issued arms licences in 2024, while in the following year, 2,696 non-filers and 848 filers were granted licences.
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Questioning the rationale behind issuing licences to non-filers, the committee chairman directed that such licences be cancelled.
Minister of State on Interior Talal Chaudhry informed the committee that in previous periods, arms licences had been issued in large numbers, but the current government had adopted a stricter policy with prohibited-bore licences now being issued only to eligible individuals.
He requested that licences of non-filers not be cancelled immediately and that they be given time to become tax filers.
After deliberations, the committee decided that notices should be issued to all non-filer licence holders, granting them time to regularise their tax status, failing which their licences would be cancelled.
The committee also discussed the law and order situation, particularly in the riverine area. Senator Talha Mahmood raised concerns over the inability to control dacoits, stating that two individuals from his constituency had been abducted and later released after payment of ransom.
Responding to the concerns, Sindh police chief Ghulam Nabi Memon said operations were under way to eliminate criminals, adding that seven senior superintendents of police were involved in the efforts. He said the area fell along the Sindh-Punjab border and claimed that no such incidents had occurred there over the past six months due to police action.
On a query by Senator Dinesh Kumar regarding the abduction of Hindu girl Priya Kumari from Badin, the committee sought an explanation for the delay in her recovery. The Sindh police chief informed the committee that the girl was abducted from Sukkur on August 19, 2021.
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He said investigations had involved more than 1,000 individuals, including nomadic groups, and that AI-generated images had been circulated. Assistance from the Punjab Police and the Federal Investigation Agency had also been sought, he added, noting that there was a suspicion the abductors may have handed the girl over to dacoits operating in the riverine area.
The issue of police misconduct also came under discussion. Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri sought an update on the Jacobabad incident involving the gang rape of a minor girl by police officials.
Memon said a case had been registered against all those involved, including the station house officer (SHO). He said the SHO was not present at the police station at the time of the incident and that four police officials had raped a minor girl from a family in custody, repeatedly entering the room while wearing masks.
He said such officials had no right to remain in the police force and that legal proceedings were under way.
Senator Zehri said she did not feel safe in a country where police officials could rape a minor girl while she was in custody.
Chaudhry informed the committee that a major operation was under way in the riverine area and added that Memon was making serious efforts against dacoits. He said law and order challenges existed everywhere and claimed that Lahore was safer than London and New York.
In response, Senator Samina Mumtaz said that only two per cent of criminals were convicted in Pakistan. She added that immediate action was taken against rape in London and questioned how such cases are handled in the country.
Commenting on the National Finance Commission (NFC) award, the state minister stressed that all four provinces should be asked how they had utilised funds received under the NFC award to improve law and order, calling for an audit of these funds.
He said Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa had received Rs5 trillion under the NFC award, along with an additional Rs800 billion for security, and questioned how these funds had been utilised while reiterating that after the 18th Amendment, security was a provincial subject.
Senator Umar Farooq said terrorism-related challenges were being faced in K-P and Balochistan and urged that these provinces be treated on par with others. The minister said a comprehensive policy was being prepared but noted that provinces should also be compared in terms of security initiatives.
