PESHAWAR, Feb 15: Lifting of ban on issuance of licences for light weapons would be top on agenda at an inter-provincial police department meeting scheduled to be held in Islamabad on Saturday, senior police officials said on Thursday.

The federal government had banned renewal and issuance of licenses during the dew-eaponization campaign in June. But recently the NWFP government lifted the ban on the renewal of arms licenses and extended the date to March 31.

Sources said that the NWFP police would raise the issue at the meeting and suggest that arms licence issuance authority should be given to the district police officers on the grounds that a DPO has more understanding of the area and people.

Scrutiny of arms dealers would also be discussed at the meeting.

They said that the law-abiding people, due to fear of the government action, had surrendered even their licensed arms during the campaign and now they felt a sense of insecurity against criminals.

Sources said that people in the NWFP had surrendered about 40,000 weapons during the campaign against illegal weapons.