KHYBER: The district administration sealed over 250 shops of arms and ammunition dealers in Landi Kotal and Jamrud during a crackdown on Monday night.

Officials said the administration launched the operation in collaboration with the Frontier Corps and police.

“Weapons found on the dealers’ shops will be examined and the prohibited bores will be shifted to the Khyber House in Peshawar,” the officials said, adding no arrests were made during the operation.

Meanwhile, arms dealers in Jamrud Wazir Dhand market held a protest demonstration on Tuesday morning after learning about the sealing of their shops. The agitated arms dealers chanted slogans and blocked the main Peshawar-Torkham Road for some time.

They ended the protest after police officials met them and assured that their grievances would be addressed.

Most arms dealers insisted they had duly acquired licences from the department concerned for the sale and purchase of arms.

Meanwhile, sources in the Wazir Dhand market confided to Dawn that large-scale sale of different types of weapons was witnessed during the last few weeks. They said the unidentified buyers would come in groups and buy arms and ammunition in large quantities. “Automatic weapons, especially used in target killings, were in demand during these rapid purchases,” the sources said.

They said a surge in target killings and acts of terrorism was witnessed following arms purchases from these markets.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2022