|
FC seizes large cache of arms
QUETTA 29.5.02: The Frontier Corps (FC) on Wednesday seized a large quantity of arms and ammunition in a raid in Girdi jungle, district Chaghai, and arrested three gunrunners, FC sources disclosed.
The cache, including two rocket launchers, 42
Klashnikovs, two pistols, 94 fuses, three wireless sets, one artillery gun and over 30,000 rounds, was smuggled from Afghanistan and was being transported to other parts of the country for terrorism, the sources said.
The FC, on a tip-off, conducted the raid in Girdi Jungle, arrested Abdul
Waheed, Syed Ahmed and Mir Hatam Khan and impounded two vehicles and a motorcycle, the sources added. |
|
Grand operation against illegal arms from May
ISLAMABAD: Government has finalised strategy for a grand operation against illegal arms from May under which curfew would also be imposed in sensitive areas. The decision to this effect was taken during a high level meeting chaired by Interior Minister Lt Gen
(Retd) Moin ud Din Haider and participated by Home Secretaries and IGs of all provinces, Director Generals of Pakistan Rangers, Coast Guards and Frontier Constabulary and representatives of
CBR, NADRA apart from senior Interior Ministry officials.
The meeting discussed important matters of National Arms Control Policy that has already been approved by the federal cabinet. The operation would be supervised by Army Monitoring Teams. During the first phase of the plan, people will be informed about the hazards of illegal weapons and their co-operation will be sought by an effective media campaign that will last from two to three weeks. In the second phase, people will be given amnesty of two weeks to surrender illegal arms at the offices of Assistant or Deputy Commissioners, Police stations or specified places without any punishment.
Army Monitoring Teams will keep a record of such weapons to prevent any pilferage. After the expiry of the stipulated time period, a countrywide grand crack down will be launched for the recovery of illegal weapons by collaboration of Police, Lady Police and other law enforcing agencies. Reliable sources revealed that government has increased the punishment for possessing illegal arms that would be imprisonment from 6 months to 2 years. All provinces have unanimously approved the plan. The meeting also decided to carry search operations under curfew in selected areas where the situation requires so.
The provinces have also been authorised to form special task force if they don't want to use law enforcing agencies for the purpose. After the completion of the crack down when the government will be satisfied that the reasonable number of arms have been recovered, NADRA will prepare database of all licensed weapons present in the society. The government will then issue fresh licences of all legal arms including pistol of 32 bore, revolver, shot gun of 12 bore and rifle of 22 bore. The tribal people have been asked to surrender all heavy arms except of those in their personal use.
They will also be restricted to bring these weapons to cities. Similarly all religious parties possessing weapons would also be asked to voluntarily submit them before the authorities otherwise strict legal action would be taken against them. Addressing on the occasion, the Interior Minister directed the law enforcing agencies to implement the ban on display of weapons and aerial firing in order to secure the future of our new generation.
Sunday, April 22, 2001 |
|
|
