ISLAMABAD, FEB 20 (DNA) — State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhary on Tuesday apprised the Senate that banning the issuance of licenses for automatic weapons was the government’s policy and it would be continued.

Winding up discussion on a motion regarding the Government’s policy of banning the issuance of licenses for automatic weapons, the minister said it was a right step to purge the country of illegal weapons.

He said Pakistan was only country in the world where ordinary people were given licenses of automatic weapons. The Prime Minister in his maiden speech also wished to ban issuing of licenses for automatic weapons, he said.

He said the issue was also discussed thrice in the Cabinet meetings. It was also decided to change the automatic weapons with semi automatic and the government was also ready to pay for the automatic weapons.

The minister said courts have granted stay to only 104 individuals for keeping automatic licenses weapons. However, the court has not suspended the Cabinet decision to ban issuing licenses for automatic weapons.