Prohibited Bore licenses allowed to Shahbaz Gill

Aftab Ahmed

Islamabad: The Cabinet has relaxed a policy to issue three licenses of prohibited bore to Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill for self-protection.

The Interior Division briefed the Cabinet that as per Section 11(A)(2) of Pakistan Arms Ordinance, 1965, Federal Government / Cabinet is the competent authority for issuance of licenses for Prohibited Bore (PB) weapons/ ammunition.

Earlier, the cabinet has also allowed issuing prohibited bore licenses to Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar.

Prime Minister’s Office, Islamabad had forwarded an application of Mr.Muhammad Shahbaz Shabbir, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Communication for issuance of three (03) licenses of Prohibited Bore (AK-47(two), 223 Bore (one)) for self-protection.

There was a ban on the issuance of a license for PB weapon.

However, Federal Government vides notification dated 21st August 2019 had lifted the ban on the issuance of licenses for PB weapon to the extent of the following categories subject to the condition that weapon may either be gifted or procured from Pakistan Ordnance Factory:

1. a) The President;
2. b) The Prime Minister;
3. c) Chairman, Senate;

d)Speaker, National Assembly;

1. e) Governor and Chief Ministers;
2. f) Federal Ministers;
3. g) Judges of Supreme Court and High Court;
4. h) Federal Government officers of BS-22; and
5. i) Public Institutions and Law Enforcement agencies after obtaining no-objection certificate from the security agencies

The above individual does not fall in the category. However, Cabinet was competent to allow Prohibited Bore Licenses as per Section 11(A)(2) of Pakistan Arms Ordinance, 1965 and might exempt the individual from the above-mentioned notification.

Given the above, Federal Cabinet considered exemption of Mr. Muhammad Shahbaz Shabbir, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Communication from the notification dated 21st August 2019 as well as for issuance of three (03) Prohibited Bore (PB) arms Licenses as per the following details:

As a result, the government has issued two prohibited bore licenses of AK 47 and one for 223 Bore.

During the discussion, the Cabinet Secretary pointed out that the Cabinet, in its meeting held on 01.07.2020, had directed the Interior Division to develop a policy for issuing prohibited bore weapons licenses rather than moving individual cases to the Cabinet.

Meanwhile, the cabinet reiterated the decision in its meeting held on 16,03.2021 by giving a timeline of two weeks. Additionally, the secretary of Interior informed that the Bill to amend the Pakistan Arms Ordinance 1965, had been passed by the National Assembly and is awaiting approval of the Senate.

Subsequently, the Cabinet considered the summary titled ‘Issuance of Prohibited Bore (PB) Licenses to Shahbaz Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Political Communication’ and approved the proposal.