ith the 15-day deadline for the voluntary surrender of illegal arms approaching, the newly established Crime Control Department is gearing up for a strict enforcement drive across the Punjab. However, the ambitious initiative, which is backed by the new Punjab Surrender of Illegal Arms Act 2025, is being viewed with scepticism.

The current drive is part of the enforcement of the new law which outlines a three-tier approach: voluntary surrender, destruction of unlawful weapons and strict enforcement. Under the law, all holders of illegal weapons must surrender their arms within the stipulated time.

The initiative has drawn criticism with regard to the operational capacity of the CCD. Raja Zulqarnain, a former secretary general of the Supreme Court Bar Association, says the department “neither has the capacity nor the ability to carry out the drive across the province.”

Highlighting “many lacunae in the drive,” Zulqarnain mentions a lack of public awareness. He says there is “no effective mechanism that guides citizens on where to surrender illegal weapons.”

The scepticism is compounded by the CCD’s short history. Since its inception a few months ago, the force’s reputation has been tarnished by serious allegations of extra-judicial killings, extortion and kidnapping for ransom. Critics have asked how a special force consisting of just 4,000 personnel can single-handedly manage this gigantic task across the entire province.

The decision to launch the comprehensive plan was taken during a high-level meeting to law and order, chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. The plan introduces several proactive measures:

Drone policing: The CCD will coordinate with Lahore police to launch a pilot project of drone policing, described by a CCD officer on condition of anonymity as “inimitable and extraordinary.” The goal is to enable rapid, technology-driven responses to crime and track suspects by capturing real-time visuals;

The scepticism is compounded by the CCD’s own short history. Since its inception a few months ago, critics have asked how a special force consisting of just 4,000 personnel can single-handedly manage such a gigantic task.

Licence verification: The provincial government will conduct a complete re-verification of over one million licensed weapons to ensure strict compliance. Going forward, only police personnel and registered private security guards will be permitted to carry weapons;

Stiffer penalties: Arms trafficking is now classified as a serious criminal offence, punishable by up to 14 years in prison;

Financial disincentive: An approved 100 percent increase in annual arms licence fees aims to discourage the carrying of private weapons and promote a culture of peace.

Talking to TNS, DIG Operations, Lahore, Faisal Kamran, said the city police had launched a rigorous drive against illegal arms.

He added that public awareness campaigns were under way through media, social media and mosque announcements, to educate citizens about the dangers and consequences of possessing illegal weapons.

He also spoke of police units, including the Dolphin Squad and the PRU, which “ensure round-the-clock patrolling and maintaining strict vigilance at all major entry/ exit points, railway stations and bus terminals.”

Kamran provided detailed figures on recent successes, noting that this year Lahore police had registered 7,541 cases across various divisions for the possession and display of illegal weapons. From the arrested individuals, police recovered a large cache, including 43 Kalashnikov rifles, 335 other rifles, 290 shotguns and 6,782 revolvers/ pistols, along with over 35,000 bullets and cartridges.

Ahsan Zia is a print and broadcast journalist