LARKANA: As many as 1,600 to 1,700 Computerised Arms Licenses have not been issued to the weapon holders in Larkana District despite passage of a period of five years. Reportedly, Larkana deputy commissioner arms license branch in-charge said that the forms issued by NADRA were sent to the Senior Superintendent of Police’s (SSP) office for verification, but were not returned. Every weapon holders deposited Rs 1,000 in the year 2013 via the Omni Service of United Bank Ltd. The in-charge further stated that most of the forms sent to Naundero and Waleed police stations were pending for unknown reasons. However, SSP’s office head clerk Akbar Panhwar claimed on Wednesday that no form was pending in the SSP’s office and all forms were sent to concerned police stations for verification. Meanwhile, Larkana NADRA official claimed that 1,600 to 1,700 license forms were sent to the DC’s office and SSP’s office, but never returned back while weapon holders have been craving for their licenses since 2013. The affected persons have appealed to the federal government and NADRA authorities to take notice of such mismanagement and irregularities, and take a stern action against corrupt officers. The Sindh Government and NADRA have recently allowed those persons, who have not obtained computerised arms licenses, to acquire licenses by the end of December 2018 without analysing reasons of their pending status for the last five years. Published in Daily Times, September 13th 2018.