KP govt decides not to issue new arms licences

PESHAWAR: Alarmed by the recent spate of revenge killings, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Tuesday decided to not issue new weapon licences and to compile data of family feuds and personal enmity all over the province.

The decision was made during a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mahmood Khan to discuss the loss of more than 40 lives over blood feuds and property disputes in different parts of the province during the last few days.

The meeting was attended by chief secretary Dr Kazim Niaz, provincial police officer Moazaam Jah Ansari, divisional commissioners, regional police officers, and other senior officials.

According to a statement issued here, a summary for the arms licence ban will be moved to the provincial cabinet for formal approval. The chief minister expressed concern about the growing killings over blood feuds and property disputes in the province and directed the police to take concrete steps to effectively prevent such incidents.

He ordered the holding of meetings on a fortnightly basis to review law and order situation in the province and said all RPOs should brief the 'review meeting' about law and order situation in their respective regions and measures taken by them to improve it. Mr Mahmood said the police should take concrete and visible steps to purge the province of illegal weapons and narcotics.

He said the government would provide all necessary resources to the police to improve law and order situation in the province, while the police should also improve its performance. The chief minister directed the police's highups to come up with a strategy to strengthen the counterterrorism department and Special Branch to effectively deal with the challenges of modern times.

The officials told participants that the police stations were collecting and tabulating the data of blood and property disputes across the province. They said the dispute resolution councils were being strengthened and the narcotic eradication teams were being formed at all district headquarters level under the direct command of the district police officers to arrest the key men involved in drug trafficking.

The officials said during the current year, the police had so far conducted 496 intelligence- based operations, detained 113 suspects, seized more than 15,000kg narcotics and arrested 16,000 drug dealers. They said more than 17,000 people were also held during a crackdown on illegal arms and ammunitions. The officials said a total of 206 cases were registered, 663 people were charged and 587 were arrested over land grabbing during the current year.

The chief minister said the good governance strategy covered an important priority area of his government and the divisional commissioners and RPOs would be responsible for action on it in letter and spirit.

He directed commissioners across the province to initiate a massive crackdown on encroachments and hand over the retrieved land to the relevant departments within two months period. Mr Mahmood directed the divisional and district administrations for clamping down on polythene bags in their respective areas and said such bags shouldn't be used anywhere in the province.