The minister says the current government has a stricter policy and prohibited drilling licenses are issued only to eligible people.
Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman, Chairman, Senate Standing Committee on Home Affairs, chairs a meeting of the committee in Parliament, Islamabad, on January 27, 2026. Photo: X
The Senate Standing Committee on Home Affairs on Tuesday directed authorities to take action against gun licenses issued to non-tax filers, while discussing a host of law and order issues, particularly in the riverine areas of Sindh and Punjab.
The meeting was held in Parliament under the chairmanship of Senator Faisal Saleem and the members were briefed about the issuance of arms licences.
Members were informed that 2,962 non-filers and 189 tax filers were issued gun licenses in 2024, while the following year, 2,696 non-filers and 848 filers were granted licenses.
Read: Security withdrawn from MQM-P leaders as political tensions rise in Karachi
Questioning the rationale behind issuing licenses to non-filers, the committee chairman ordered that such licenses be cancelled.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Talal Chaudhry informed the committee that large numbers of gun licenses had been granted in previous terms, but that the current government had adopted a stricter policy and that prohibited carry licenses were now granted only to eligible persons.
He requested that non-filers’ licenses not be canceled immediately and that they be given time to become tax filers.
After deliberations, the committee decided that notices should be issued to all non-filing license holders, giving them time to regularize their tax status, otherwise their licenses would be cancelled.
The committee also discussed the law and order situation, particularly in the riverine area. Senator Talha Mahmood expressed concern over the inability to control the thieves and claimed that two people from his constituency had been kidnapped and later released after paying a ransom.
Responding to concerns, Sindh Police Chief Ghulam Nabi Memon said operations were being carried out to eliminate criminals, adding that seven senior police superintendents were involved in the efforts. He said the area was along the Sindh-Punjab border and claimed that no such incidents had occurred there for the last six months due to police action.
To a question by Senator Dinesh Kumar on the abduction of Hindu girl Priya Kumari from Badin, the committee sought an explanation for the delay in her recovery. The Sindh Police Chief informed the committee that the girl was abducted from Sukkur on August 19, 2021.
Read more: Sanghar police arrest minor accused of rape
It said investigations had involved more than 1,000 people, including nomadic groups, and that AI-generated images had circulated. Help was also sought from the Punjab Police and the Federal Investigation Agency, he added, pointing out that there was a suspicion that the kidnappers might have handed over the girl to robbers operating in the riverine area.
The issue of police misconduct was also discussed. Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri sought an update on the Jacobabad incident involving the gang rape of a minor by police officers.
Memon said a case had been registered against all those involved, including the station house officer (SHO). He said the SHO was not present at the police station at the time of the incident and that four police officers had raped a minor girl from a family in custody, repeatedly entering the room wearing masks.
He said those officers had no right to remain in the police force and that legal proceedings were underway.
Senator Zehri said she did not feel safe in a country where police officers could rape a minor while she was in custody.
Chaudhry informed the committee that a major operation was underway in the riverine area and added that Memon was making serious efforts against the robbers. He said challenges to law and order existed everywhere and claimed that Lahore was safer than London and New York.
In response, Senator Samina Mumtaz said that only two percent of criminals were convicted in Pakistan. He added that immediate action was taken against rapes in London and questioned how such cases are handled in the country.
Commenting on the National Finance Commission (NFC) award, the Minister of State highlighted that the four provinces should be asked how they had utilized the funds received under the NFC award to improve law and order, and called for an audit of these funds.
He said Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa had received Rs 5 trillion under the NFC award, along with an additional Rs 800 billion for security, and questioned how these funds had been utilised, while reiterating that after the 18th Amendment, security was a provincial issue.
Senator Umar Farooq said that KP and Balochistan were facing terrorism-related challenges and urged that these provinces be treated at par with others. The minister said a comprehensive policy was being prepared, but noted that provinces should also compare themselves in terms of security initiatives.
