In order to weed out arms dealers of dubious credentials, the Punjab government has launched a drive to cancel the existing licences of weapons dealers and issue fresh licences after a new and strict verification process of documents. The move has been prompted after it came to light that attempts were being made to sell arms by unauthorised people online. There are 667 arms dealers in Punjab. So far, the provincial home department has cleared licences of 451 arms dealers and suspended 26 for want of certain papers. The department has cancelled seven licences. Now licences to arms dealers will be issued after their proper biometric verification. Arms dealers have been asked to meet the new requirements for licence by April 13; and this include the procurement and installation of a system that will maintain data related to sales.
This system has been created with the assistance of the National Database and Registration Authority. It has been made mandatory for those applying for an arms dealership to appear in person before the relevant authorities. The number of documents needing verification has also been increased. The applicant for a new licence shall have to present the National Tax Number (NTN) besides other documents. The new licence will be issued only after the verification of NTN and other papers. The home department has also been scrutinising the records of all arms dealers in the province. The process is aimed at eliminating the chances of fake arms licence and also at catching those conducting arms sale after the expiry of their licences. Five such dealers have so far been caught in Lahore alone.
The new process for obtaining and renewing licence for selling arms would go a long way in eliminating the menace of fake arms licence and illegal weapons in the province. Lately, violent incidents in Punjab have increased in which firearms have been used. The curbs on illegal weapons trade will help in maintenance of peace.
Absence of urban planning
In an unexpected turn of events, slum dwellers of the Manzoor Colony settlement in Karachi have managed to cease the demolition of thousands of their homes after teaming up with NGOs to map out the drainage network of the area. The fact that they eventually came up with their own conclusion — if the drainage system was properly cleaned and efficiently maintained, the threat of monsoon flooding would be averted — indicates two things in particular: the common man does possess the capability of action and understanding, and that they are willing to work with the relevant people to secure their livelihood.
However, it also begs the question: why did the authorities decide to demolish thousands of houses when a simple flood risk mapping project revealed that at most 40 homes needed to be removed to leave the drains clear? This not only points towards negligence and inefficiency on the part of the government but also highlights the importance of urban planning when dealing with the mega city. With a staggering 12 million people living in vulnerable informal settlements and 550 storm-water drains blocked by illegal construction and waste, planning and strategy becomes central for governance and growth. Karachi is slowly becoming unlivable. Therefore, city management, governance and institutional capacity, and municipal service delivery need to be radically restructured to become sustainable and inclusive. Apart from that, there is a desperate need for a disaster management system to make the city more resilient.
The beautiful mess that is Karachi needs to be redesigned, piece by piece, by focusing on three pivotal sectors: transportation, dispensation of water and electricity, and the proper disposal of municipal solid waste. Development must cater to the needs of the majority which consists of mostly lower-income and lower middle-income groups. Citizens, welfare organisations and relevant officials must collaborate in order to transform Karachi into a livable and competitive mega city for all.
Verifying refugees
Pakistan’s Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees, in collaboration with the UNHCR, launched a drive on Thursday to verify the data of the 1.4 million registered Afghan refugees in the country. Consequently, it will be issuing smart identity cards containing biometric data to refugees with Proof of Registration, which will remain valid for two years and allow the holders to access several services in the country.
The news comes as a welcome step given that the last such exercise had taken place a decade ago. With the country hosting the second largest refugee population in the world – of roughly three million, documented and undocumented — its needs cannot be ignored, especially with the continuously changing political and socio-economic conditions. With the Afghan peace under process, there are increasing chances that the refugees will be repatriated to Afghanistan once the situation there stabilises. Until then, the data verification and smart cards will help the government in Pakistan keep track of the demographics, healthcare, education and skill levels of the refugee population, and address them accordingly by providing jobs and schooling. Moreover, it will also strengthen border security between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
However, it must be noted that a large chunk of the refugee population remains undocumented. And while the spokesman for the Commissionerate says that a policy for unregistered refugees will be introduced soon, one cannot be too hopeful. Back in 2018, PM Imran Khan had pledged Pakistani citizenship for Afghan refugees, 60% of whom had been born in this country. While no progress has taken place on the issue and registered refugees were allowed to hold bank accounts only in 2019, most Afghan refugees continue to call Pakistan their home with little desire to move to Afghanistan. It is important that this verification is used to formulate important policies on education, property purchase and business ownership as Afghan refugees contribute greatly to the formal and informal economy. It is also hoped that biometric verification will allow the government to roll out the Covid vaccination programme effectively amongst the refugee population, and not ignore the group altogether.
