Punjab Home Secretary Noor-ul-Amin Mengal chaired a meeting on Thursday regarding arms licence verification with the help of QR codes issued by NADRA.
It was decided that the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) will issue QR codes for all arms licenses, linking them directly to the license holder’s CNIC.
During the meeting, the secretary Home Department directed NADRA officials to issue QR codes for the online verification of all arms licenses. The secretary has given NADRA a week to attach QR codes to the arms licenses. Noor-ul-Amin instructed NADRA to link all arms licenses with the relevant individual’s CNIC. He directed the commissioners and deputy commissioners across the province to affix QR codes to all orders related to arms licenses. The secretary mentioned that, with the help of QR codes, law enforcement agencies would be able to verify each arms license. The process will ensure transparency in verifying licenses, helping eliminate fake ones, he added.
The Punjab Home Secretary emphasised that individuals involved in serious crimes are ineligible to obtain arms licenses and that a thorough screening of all arms licenses would be conducted to ensure that no person involved in serious crimes is able to acquire a license.
He further mentioned that amendments are being made to the Arms Rules to facilitate citizens, simplifying the rules for individual arms licenses and business arms licenses, and strengthening the role of the Directorate of Monitoring in arms license verification. Home Secretary Noorul Amin Mengal also revealed that a proposal to revise the fee schedule for obtaining and renewing arms licenses has been recommended. He mentioned that all stages of the computerization of manual licenses are being closely monitored. The meeting was attended by Special Secretary of Home Department Fazal Rehman, Additional Secretary (Judicial) Imran Hussain Ranjha, and NADRA officials.