ISLAMABAD – An Interior Ministry initiative authenticating Punjab armslicences has led to the discovery of 27,000 fake documents.

The documents have been revoked. The Interior Ministry had recentlypermitted non-prohibited arms licences to be issued. After the 18thAmendment,the federal government only issues arms licences for Islamabad CapitalTerritory (ICT), Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and the Federally AdministeredTribal Areas (FATA).

Ministry officials had reservations over people listing provincialaddresses as their temporary residence in national identity cards to obtainarms. The federal government then decided that arms licences will only beissued to those permanently residing in aforementioned territories.

Separately, the Punjab government has directed DCs and NADRA officials toreject ‘duplicate’ licenses presented for computerisation of records. Themove comes in the wake of reports on fake backdate lincence tradeblossoming. Weapon dealers have been doling out bribes Rs25,000 and upwardsto obtain documents from DC offices.

Sources said a mafia, operating in tandem with the delinquent employed atDC offices, would then stall document verification for up to two years. Of900,000 Punjab licences, only 40% have been verified.