ISLAMABAD: Iinstead of promoting business for locally-manufactured arms, ammunition and allied items, the third sport and hunting arms exhibition on Friday showcased a wide-range of imported products.

The ‘Target & Outdoor Shooting Sport (TOSS) Show’ indicated that the traditional gunnery and arms industry of the country was sharply on the decline.

Not only the overall participation in the exhibition was less than half of the previous TOSS show held in 2012, but out of the 43 stalls, there were only 12 arms and ammunition makers exhibiting their products.

Only 12 arms and ammunition makers exhibited their products

“Gunmaking had been an art in Darra Adam Khel for more than a century but there is no future now,” an exhibitor told Dawn.

Chief guest at the exhibition, Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Afridi also acknowledged the poor state of the gun-making industry in the country.

“This is our traditional art and skill. The freedom fighters bought arms from Darra Adam Khel in 1857,” Mr Afridi said, adding: “But these talented and skilled gunmakers have been disowned by the government.”

He announced that the gun-making industry would be revised.

In reply to a question about the limited sale of Pakistani weapons to police and Rangers, the state minister said weapon purchase by police was streamlined in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and that the model would be implemented across the country.

He also announced that a policy for licensed weapons holders would be announced soon.

Earlier, the minister was informed that the manufacturers faced serious bureaucratic hurdles to meet the export orders as the initial NOC was granted by the Ministry of Defence Production and then permission was required from the interior ministry. Finally the matter was dealt by the commerce ministry.

“By the time we get all the approvals, the buyer gets some alternative offer from China, Turkey or any other country,” said an exhibitor.

The exhibition was organised by Pakistan Hunting and Sports Arms Development Company that was established in 2006 to streamline and upgrade the gun manufacturing sector.

Many such factories have transformed themselves into companies.

However, the key beneficiary of the exhibition was the cutlery sector of Wazirabad and Sialkot, displaying decorative knives, daggers, swords and other traditional arms and even metallic helmets. Besides, the most sought-after items in the exhibition included imported products, mostly Chinese equipment and even clothing.

Published in Dawn, September 29th, 2018