ISLAMABAD, Dec 3: The ban on issuance of arms licences may be relaxed in certain areas for security purposes and to check terrorist activities, interior ministry sources said here on Monday.

A policy to this effect has been formulated and will be submitted to the cabinet for approval within a fortnight, the sources said.

The government had imposed ban on issuance of arms licences to people. For realization of this objective, the interior ministry also launched a vigorous drive in June last to recover illegal arms which proved very successful.

During the campaign, 134,000 arms of different categories were voluntarily surrendered or recovered by the police. The government is determined to continue this campaign which had become a status symbol during political governments when separate quotas of arms licences had been fixed for members of the national and provincial assemblies, the sources said.

They said those involved in terrorism were doing no service to the country and advised them to concentrate on development activities.

The amendments in the 1861 Police Act will finally be approved by the year end which will give a dignified status to the police and make it a responsible and people-friendly force.

A separate wing will be created for properly pursuing the court cases. In future, challans will be submitted within 14 days for expeditious clearance of cases, the sources said.—APP