By Abdullah Ahmad
LAHORE; Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has approved an ambitious set of reforms aimed at eliminating illegal weapons and strengthening law enforcement across the province. Chairing the fourth high-level meeting on law and order, she announced the introduction of the Punjab Surrender of Illegal Arms Act 2025, which will be implemented in three phases — surrender, disposal, and enforcement.
Under the new legislation, all individuals possessing illegal weapons will be required to surrender them within 15 days. Additionally, a province-wide verification of one million licensed arms will be conducted to ensure authenticity. The verification process will include both provincial and federally issued licences, with data cross-checked in coordination with federal authorities.
The meeting further decided that only police officials and registered security guards will be permitted to carry weapons. All private security companies will be formally registered, and their personnel will be connected to the Punjab Police Helpline 15 for monitoring.
A pilot project for drone policing will be launched in Lahore, enabling drones to reach crime scenes instantly to assist in suspect tracking and evidence collection. The initiative will later be expanded to other districts.
To curb arms smuggling, Punjab will install advanced arms scanners at 14 major entry and exit points, while the penalty for smuggling weapons will be increased to 14 years in prison. The government also decided to double the annual renewal fee for arms licences to discourage unnecessary ownership of weapons.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz emphasized that the new integrated system of security, surveillance, and arms regulation will help ensure long-term peace and completely eliminate illegal firearms from the province.
