ISLAMABAD – A government audit has uncovered major irregularities in the computerisation of arms licences, revealing that thousands of suspected licences were added to official records beyond those originally issued by the Ministry of Interior.
The findings have prompted calls for a comprehensive investigation into the licensing process and the identification of those responsible, a local private television channel reported on Wednesday.
According to the audit report, authorities detected 9,291 additional suspected arms licences during the computerisation process, raising serious concerns over the integrity of the national arms licensing database.
The report states that the number of arms licences computerised exceeded the number officially issued by the Ministry of Interior. It found that 44,250 prohibited-bore arms licences were computerised, despite official records showing that only 36,497 such licences had actually been issued. This discrepancy represents an excess of 7,753 prohibited-bore licences, triggering concerns over possible irregularities in the system.
The audit also revealed that more than 186,000 arms licences were computerised in total, of which 10,464 were later declared fake after verification.
The findings indicate significant weaknesses in the computerisation process and suggest that unauthorised or fraudulent records may have been incorporated into the national database.
The officials reviewing the audit findings acknowledged the seriousness of the discrepancies. According to the report, the relevant authorities accepted the audit objection concerning the irregularities in the arms licence records.
The audit has recommended a thorough investigation into the computerisation process to determine how the discrepancies occurred and to identify officials responsible for any negligence or misconduct. It also called for measures to strengthen verification procedures and improve oversight to prevent similar issues in the future.
The revelations have raised concerns about the credibility of Pakistan’s arms licensing system and the need for greater transparency and accountability in the management of sensitive public records.
The local authorities are expected to initiate further inquiries in light of the audit findings.
