LAHORE: Police claim to have seized a large quantity of ready-to-use guns, besides spare parts of different weapons, on Monday from a three-storey “arms repair workshop” on Railway Road and arrested two suspects who allegedly ran the illegal business.

Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) retired Capt Amin Wains told journalists that Naulakha police conducted a raid at Sabari Mills and Spring Store on Railway Road and arrested its owner Nazir Ahmed and his brother Muhammad Asif, sealing the factory.

He said the suspects were dealing in arms without any licence and their gun repairing workshop permit had also expired.

“We are still counting the weapons and spare parts recovered during the raid,” the CCPO added.

A huge cache of weapons, spare parts seized

He said initial investigation revealed that the suspects were also involved in gun trade and had a network in different areas of the country. They had set up the factory some three months ago on Railway Road, he added.

The CCPO said parts of the different sophisticated and prohibited weapons, ball bearings and bullets were also recovered from the factory.

Two machines used to punch numbers on weapons were also recovered from the possession of the suspects, he said.

He said action would be taken against all those involved in sale and purchase of illegal weapons and spare parts.

The CPPO praised the officers of Naulakha police circle for unearthing the weapon factory.

He said the suspects could be involved in selling weapons to some banned outfits and terrorist organisations.

Operations wing Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Dr Haider Ashraf, Superintendent of CIA Police (SP) Umar Virk and Naulakha Circle DSP Nasir Hanif Khan were also present.

One of the busiest commercial localities of the provincial capital, Railway Road houses a pre-partition college, a technical training institute, besides scores of small and medium trade houses.

Unearthing of an “arms factory” in such a busy commercial area has raised questions about law enforcement agencies claims of “tightening the noose” around miscreants in the city.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2016