Previously, only the ministry of interior had the authoritative power in Pakistan to issue arms license and regulate matters concerning both arms as well as ammunition. However, recent collaboration between NADRA means that there is now a rather more progressive system introduced for both managing and governing arms licenses.
This advanced system which has been introduced by NADRA refers to a computerized platform which will have the tendency to make it easy for members of the public to renew their current arms license or even have the power to cancel it if such a situation arises. Regardless, it is important to note that this system cannot actually be used to make a brand new license at present.
The new system introduced goes by the name of Computerized Arms License System (CALS) and it will reportedly – as reports indicate, take 12 months or perhaps even as long a 24 months before you may be able to actually renew your license as it happens to be computerized after manual verification from the local District Coordination Officer (DCO), or the original issuer of arms licenses.
Not only will CALS play a major role of managing those with fake arms licenses, but it will also a satisfactory way of tackling crime.
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In the very first phase of implementation, smart cards will actually be issued that will go on to replace traditional arms license cards in nine districts of Punjab, as well as in cities ranging from the likes of Lahore, to the likes of Sargodha, Multan, Peshawar, Quetta, Hyderabad, Sukkar, Islamabad and finally, Karachi.
The smart card will feature with verification of the applicant through NADRA’s Verysis, weapon owner trackability using CNIC, machine readability via barocde integration and finally secure lamination on both the sides. As cliché as it may sound, there have also been an implementation of security features which give it the characteristics of being as foolproof and secure as possible.
The process for the renewal of the arms licenses is a simple enough process. First of all, the candidate will be required to pay a license fee of PKR 1,400 – which by the way, happens to be non-refundable. Then at the respective DCO’s office, the candidate will be required to submit their application for arms license. The candidate will then have to take a trip to their nearest NADRA center and from there, they will be required to submit the original deposit slip, original copy of old arms license and finally, two recent passport size photographs.
Finally, when the process for complete attestation is taken care of, the candidate will be entitled to a token after which they will be required to go through bio-metric verification, digital photography and similar systems in order to fully complete the application.
