LAHORE: The CIA police have been directed to immediately launch a crackdown on illegal arms dealers to eradicate illegal weapons from the city.

It has also been tasked with taking indiscriminate action against franchise dealers for issuing mobile phone Sims illegally or without an identity card or on the identity card of other persons.

The direction also includes action against those franchise owners and arm dealers whose Sims and weapons have been used in any crime.

Police claim that such unregistered Sims are being used in heinous crimes like kidnap for ransom, extortion, murder and terrorism.

According to a release issued here on Thursday, CIA SP Umar Virk presided over a meeting in the light of orders of Capital City Police Officer Muhammad Amin Wains to evolve a strategy for crackdown on franchise owners and arms dealers.

It was revealed during the meeting that a number of arms dealers were involved in the sale of illegal arms whereas some dealers had several shops where non-professional persons sold weapons and cartridges to the people without licence or make entries against other license numbers.

The SP ordered his force to immediately launch a crackdown on arms dealers selling weapons and cartridges illegally and franchise owners selling unregistered Sims under Section 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2014