The Sindh Home Department has imposed an immediate, province-wide ban on the issuance of new arms licences and arms dealership licences, home department officials said.
All licensing authorities across the province have been directed to halt the issuance of new arms licences with immediate effect, and a parallel ban has been placed on granting new licences to arms dealers.
Officials said the order has been communicated to every relevant licensing authority, with instructions to ensure strict compliance, as no authority will be permitted to issue a new arms or dealership licence under normal circumstances.
The home department has, however, carved out an exception for special cases, which will require prior approval from the competent authority. Any licence considered under this category will need clearance from both the home minister and the chief minister before it can be issued.
Officials stressed that this exception does not amount to a general relaxation of the ban. Licensing authorities have been told that each case submitted for special consideration must be scrutinised strictly in line with existing rules and regulations before any approval is granted.
The move comes against the backdrop of ongoing concerns over the availability and circulation of weapons in Sindh, particularly as authorities work to maintain law and order across the province.
By halting the routine issuance of arms and dealership licences, the provincial government aims to tighten regulatory oversight of the licensing process.
