Forfeit illegal arms licences till April 30, DG Rangers issues ultimatum

Karachi
The Director-General of Sindh Rangers Major-General Bilal Akbar has given a weeks’ ultimatum for forfeiting illegal arms licenses.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the chief of paramilitary force in Sindh stated that it had been observed that in most target killing cases weapons with illegal arms licenses were recovered from suspects.
In the past, it was said, some arms dealers were issuing fake licenses as front for transporting and supplying illegal arms for target killings. Keeping illegal arms or fake licenses constituted offences under Section 23-1-A of the Sindh Arms Ordinance for which maximum punishment could be 14 years rigorous imprisonment.
The DG Rangers warned all dealers and holders of fake licenses to forfeit them by April 30. Otherwise, he said, all such individuals and retainers of illegal weapons will be dealt as collaborators and associated of target killers and will be booked under the anti-terrorism laws.
He urged the residents of Karachi to cooperate with the law-enforcement agency, otherwise strict across-the-board action will be taken against everyone and individuals arrested will be dealt severely under the law.
A day earlier the paramilitary force instructed all citizens of the city to keep their original identity cards with them at all times to be able to prove their identities.
The Rangers on Monday had asserted that copies of identity cards will not be accepted as proof of identification and requested the people to cooperate with the paramilitary agency which was working day and night to catch criminals and target killers.
Moreover, the agency urged citizens to report to Rangers helpline 1101 if anyone attempted to steal or rob their identity cards from them.