LANDI KOTAL, Oct 30: Ammunition prices in tribal areas registered a hike in the last couple of months due to shortage of its supply from Afghanistan.

Many shops in the underground ammunition market in Landi Kotal, Tehsil headquarter of Khyber Agency, had been closed due to slum in the arms business. The market had more then 70 shops a couple of years back, but now only 25 to 30 weapon dealers are left in the market.

The prices of AK-47 assault rifle have registered an increase of Rs2,000. A year back, brand new Russian or Chinese-made Kalashnikov was available for Rs16,000, but now not only its price has been increased but availability of a new rifle is extremely difficult.

Prices of used or secondhand kalashnikov range from Rs6,000, to Rs 10,000, depending on the condition of the rifle. Used weapons are also short in supply.

“This is the worst time we are facing during the last 20 years of our business,” said Haji Zareef, an arms dealer here.

He said supply from Afghanistan has reduced considerably and “we also have very few buyers.” Now most of Afghans, he added, preferred to keep these arms to themselves.

Haji Zareef told Dawn that the prices of various kinds of cartridges have also jumped up. A magazine of 10 kalashnikov rounds of Russian origin was available for Rs65 only a month ago, and that of Chinese origin was sold for Rs60. But now due to shortage of supply from across the border, the same could be had for Rs80 and 85, respectively.

However, prices of locally manufactured or Darra-made rounds are as cheap as Rs40 to Rs45 per magazine of 10. Also with the restriction on the import of TT pistol bullets by the government, its prices have jumped from Rs150 to Rs350 per magazine of 10 bullets.

Haji Zareef said they had a flourishing business during the Afghan war as various warring factions used to buy huge quantities of arms and ammunitions. “We also used to get huge supply of arms from Baghlan, Kundooz and Mazar-i-Sharif during the Taliban rule in Afghanistan, but now that the war has ended in Afghanistan, and the Taliban-imposed restriction of carrying arms is being lifted, arms supply has almost ceased,” he pointed out.

There is a complete ban on the sale of heavy weapons in tribal areas as the political administration in all the tribal agencies have, through a notification, strictly banned the sale of such weapons.

A number of tribals, reportedly surrendered heavy weapons to the authorities. But it is believed that the tribals still possess a huge quantity of such weapons.