By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: A startling disclosure before the Senate Standing Committee on Interior revealed that 33,000 gun licences in Pakistan have been issued to non-tax filers, while only 3,000 were granted to those who comply with tax obligations.
Senator Talha Mehmood highlighted the disparity, noting that the overwhelming majority of licences went to non-filers. The committee chairman called for the immediate cancellation of licences held by those who have not paid taxes, stressing that citizens may have the right to own firearms, but only after fulfilling their fiscal responsibilities.
Talal Chaudhry defended the current policy, saying previous governments had issued licences excessively. “We have tightened regulations. Only a few thousand licences have been issued under the new policy. We have closed 90% of the licence approvals,” he said, emphasizing that the Interior Ministry directly manages licences and there is no separate licensing branch.
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