It is commendable that the Punjab government is taking steps to eliminate illegal weapons from the province. It now remains to be seen how effective and equitable the crackdown will prove to be.
The decision, taken during a meeting on Friday chaired by the head of the provincial Executive, involves the introduction of new laws in the province, integrated security measures and the regulation of weapons licenses through strict control of their bearers. On the other hand, the provincial police chief announced the Punjab Surrender of Illegal Arms Act, 2025, which will be implemented in a phased manner.
The first phase will seek the surrender of all illegal weapons, which will then be destroyed in the second phase. Finally, provincial police will take steps to more strictly enforce various gun laws. It appears that its recent clash with a political-religious party has shaken the Punjab government and it now wishes to reassert the state’s monopoly on violence.
All this is very good and the initiative must be supported if the intention is to ensure peace in the province. At the same time, it is worth noting that the Punjab Police itself has recently been at the center of a serious controversy related to extrajudicial killings. If the carrying of weapons is to be strictly regulated, it naturally follows that those who are permitted to carry deadly weapons must be held to very strict standards of conduct.
The Punjab government and its police force appear willing to impose strict standards on civilians, as they should, but what appears to be missing is any accountability standard, even as the number of deadly police “encounters” continues to rise. This is where the Punjab government must demonstrate that the measures being taken to prevent gun violence are intended for the protection of all. It must also hold offending officers accountable.
That said, other provinces would do well to also pay attention to the problem. Armed guards have become a coveted symbol of power in urban areas, especially in Karachi, and the rapid proliferation of this practice has made it very difficult to determine who carries weapons legitimately and who carries them only to intimidate others. Ideally, no public display of weapons would be permitted, but given the country’s ever-challenging security environment, armed guards may be necessary in some contexts.
In such cases, in addition to thorough checks and scrutiny of gun licenses, as well as mandatory psychological examinations of those attempting to carry weapons, the State should also consider measures such as requiring private guards to wear a universally recognizable uniform to make it easier for the public to feel more comfortable among those who openly carry weapons. Peaceful citizens should feel safe wherever they go. Much needs to be done to ensure this.
Published in Dawn, October 27, 2025
