PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Ordnance Factory (POF) will facilitate gun makers of Darra Adamkhel tehsil of Kohat district with material and technical expertise in arms manufacturing to enable them to have an access to the international market.

The decision to that effect was made during a meeting chaired by Governor Shah Farman and attended by special assistant to the chief minister on industries and commerce Abdul Kareem Khan and senior officials of the POF and industries department.

An official said the POF agreed to import raw material, including steel barrels and high-tech machines used in gun-making for the artisan of Darra town.

“High-quality imported material and latest machines are required for designing and manufacturing weapons of export quality in Darra Adamkhel,” he said quoting the POF officials.

Governor calls for promotion of local arms industry

The governor directed the POF and industries department to chalk out a joint proper plan for the purpose. The town, which is around 35 kilometers south of Peshawar, is famous for the manufacturing of vintage guns, illegal arms, and ammunition. Vintage guns made in Darra Adamkhel are exported to Europe and America.

The project of turning Darra Adamkhel into a major cluster of arms manufacturing in the region has been in the doldrums since the days of former governor retired Lt-Gen Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah. The government had planned to establish an industrial zone in the town to shift gun-making units to the proposed site. Feasibility study of the zone was conducted in 2013. A total of 400 kanals of land was required for the zone.

Special assistant to the chief minister Abdul Karim told Dawn that the residents had refused to provide land for the industrial zone.

He said the second option was under consideration to declare the entire Darra town as industrial zone.

According to an official statement, Governor Shah Farman said perfection in manufacturing of handmade weapons, including shotgun, rifle and pistol, in Darra Adamkhel reflected the talent and professionalism of the local artisans in the field.

He said handmade weapons of Darra Adamkhel had a history, but unfortunately, more than 2,000 gunsmiths were neither recognised nor were they rewarded.

The governor said it was the need of the hour to own talent of the local people and promote the local arms industry like being done at global level.

He said workers attached with weapon manufacturing profession in Darra Adamkhel were an asset, so efforts should be made to promote them like other industries.

Mr Farman said handmade weapons in Darra Adamkhel had so much demand in the world, and their export could boost the arms industry, economic conditions of the local workers, and national economy.

The statement said the meeting discussed gun-proofing, professional training, and awareness creation among workers attached with the profession.

According to it, the POF officials promised the use of all available resources for gun-proofing, import of the required material, and weapon manufacturing training for workers in Darra Adamkhel.

They also said training would be imparted to gunsmiths to enhance their capacity to produce quality products.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2021