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KABUL: The government invalidated all weapon licenses that their date of use was expired, the interior ministry announced on Sunday.
The ministry has also ordered police to collect the weapons with expired licenses from holders.
Thousands of people have received weapon licenses from interior ministry in the past two decades with different aims, mostly for personal security. But the weapon existence with people has added to security problems as the guns are used for thefts, robberies, murders, rapes and kidnappings.
“For better providing of security and public order, interior ministry has invalidated all the weapon licenses with expired dates. Police will collect the weapons from their owners and keep them until issuing new licenses,” said Nosrat Rahimi, spokesman of the interior ministry.
Some other security bodies such as the Kabul garrison have also issued weapon licenses to people. Interior ministry said in a statement that no other organ had the right of issuing weapon licenses.
It has announced those who need to carry weapon, should apply for the license through legal channels.
A number of senators say that some unqualified people received weapon licenses in the past, while some people were holding weapons with counterfeited licenses.
“Weapon licenses were issued to some people who were not qualified for carrying guns. In addition to that, some persons had forged weapon licenses,” said Mohammad Sami Faisal, deputy head of senate.
He added that since last year, the licenses had been issued to only those persons who were qualified like politicians and other prominent figures that were saved in the interior ministry’s database and should not be invalidated.
