PESHAWAR, Aug 20: The war on terrorism in Afghanistan has brought a state-of-art to the foreign-made lethal weapons in Pakistan’s arms markets in the tribal areas and other parts of the country.

Arms dealers in a historic town, Dara Adamkhel, which has been the hub of gun-manufacturing activity, say that the US, European and Israeli-made deadly weapons are attracting buyers from across the country, particularly Punjab. Apart from foreign made weapons the Wah Factory manufactured MP-5 rifle pieces are also available in Dara market.

Dara town, 35km southwest of the provincial capital, has been an attractive markets for the militants of all hues and shades for many years. During the de-weaponization drive, the government had exempted this town from the drive. Some of the arms-makers had also been given employment at the Wah factory.

The new variety of lethal weapons has come in the market at a time when Islamabad is evolving strategy to clean the society from “Kalashnikov culture” that was introduced with the invasion of Afghanistan by the former Soviet Union. Unofficial figures said an uncounted number of unlicensed Kalashnikovs are available in the rural and urban areas of the country.

Survey made by Dawn in various arms market in the tribal areas of Dara Adamkhel, Khyber Agency and Kurram Agency revealed that the latest version of US-made M-16 carbine with laser designator and binoculars, Bulgarian and Zchekoslvakia made Kalakov (222) and Israeli-made highly sophisticated pistols were available at different stores in Dara Adamkhel.

The market price of US-made M-16 carbine is Rs 180,000 in Dara. The price of Bulgarian made Kalakov ranges between Rs 20,000 to Rs 35,000, Zche-made Kalakov costs between Rs 20,000 to Rs 23,000, US-manufactured pistol prices Rs 80,000 while the Israeli-made rapid-fire pistol is available at Rs 130,000 in the market. The market price of Wah factory manufactured MP-5 assault rifle is Rs 60,000 per piece.

An arms dealer in Dara town said the new type of M-16 rifles were available in a very limited number. The dealer disclosed that these M-16 guns were either snatched from the US troops in Afghanistan or reached here through Afghan warlords who had been handed over to them to dislodge Taliban.

A source in Wazir Dand arms market, Khyber Agency claimed that “a slain Afghan commander, belonging to eastern Nangarhar, sold 300 pieces of M-16 rifles in Landi Kotal”.

The sources said the forces of Northern Alliance got used pieces of Bulgarian-made Kalakov (222) assault rifles which were available in different arms markets in tribal areas and other towns of the country.

The price of reassembled Bulgarian Kalakov is Rs 20,000 while the new brand piece costs Rs 35,000 in Dara market. “Bulgarian Kalakov is less affective compared to the Russian-made Kalakov,” an arm dealer said.

M-4 carbine with a grenade launcher and laser designator, which is a unique weapon with the US marines, available in the market sometimes ago, dealers claimed. But, these carbines were immediately moved off from the show-cases. These were spotted during March, but now they were not available.