KARACHI – Sindh government is planning to replace all existing computerized arms licenses with cutting-edge smart card–based licenses, directly linked to criminal record database.
The bold initiative, discussed under chairmanship of Sindh Interior Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar, aims to make arms licensing foolproof, transparent, and immune to abuse. Under new system, anyone with a criminal history will be automatically barred from obtaining a license.
In game-changing proposal to NADRA, minister recommended adding ballistic signatures of bullets to the license data, which a high-tech forensic tool that could instantly trace bullets back to their registered owner, making it nearly impossible for criminals to hide.
Citizens will not be paying extra fee as the new smart cards will come under the existing fee structure, ensuring no additional financial burden.
Lanjar called it major reform in the public interest. We are closing the doors on criminals, once and for all, he said.
If this system rolls out, Sindh could become the first province in Pakistan to blend arms licensing with forensic technology, changing gun culture in country’s largest city which also ranked higher in violence.
