The caretaker cabinet in Punjab has formally approved a cost hike of up to 2000% for both individual and business licenses to own firearms.
The most dramatic increase in the cost of an arms license in any province’s history occurred with the most recent increase.
For people looking to obtain or renew a weapon license for hunting or personal protection, the changes to Schedule One of the Punjab Arms Rules 2023 approved by the provincial cabinet will have significant effects.
The application fee, which was previously Rs. 10,000, will now be Rs. 50,000 for new applicants, and it will also cost Rs. 5,000 instead of Rs. 1,000 to renew a license for an existing license holder.
The increase affects more than just specific licenses.
The price to apply for an “All Pakistan” licensee with the Punjab Interior Department has increased by a startling 2,000 percent, going from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 100,000.
The fees charged by private organizations and security firms have increased from Rs. 7,000 to Rs. 50,000, resulting in a significant fee increase for both.
The price of obtaining a duplicate arms license has increased from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 5,000.
Here is a list of all historical and current license fees for weapons.
| Type of License | Old Fee (Rs) | New Fee (Rs) | Difference |
| New Individual License | 10,000 | 50,000 | 400% |
| License Renewal (Individual) | 1,000 | 5,000 | 400% |
| All Pakistan License | 5,000 | 100,000 | 2000% |
| Private Institutions/Security Companies | 7,000 | 50,000 | 614.29% |
| Duplicate Arms License | 1,000 | 5,000 | 400% |
| Arms Dealership (New License) | 100,000 | 2,000,000 | 1900% |
Additionally, the processing fee for NADRA weapons licenses has increased from Rs. 1,400 to Rs. 2,000.
The Punjab Interior Department, along with NADRA, is getting ready to start taking applications for licenses for weapons online to speed up the procedure.
To use this service, however, applicants would now need to pay a registration fee of Rs. 1,200.
Additionally, the caretaker cabinet has authorized significant fee increases for arms dealers, producers, gunsmiths, and businesses that may total up to 2,000%. For instance, the cost to obtain a new license for an arms dealer has increased from Rs. 100,000 to Rs. 2 million.
