ISLAMABAD, Feb 16 (APP): The Interior Ministry has extended the date of entertaining new applications for grant of new arm license till February 28, the new applications would be entertained from March 1^st. According to official sources due to shortage of staff in Arm section of the Ministry and an unusual increase in the demand for arms licenses have forced the Ministry to stop entertaining new application owing to great pendening cases.

It was unable to entertain new applications until the pending are disposed of, the sources said adding the Ministry was hopeful about clearing the backlog by the end of the current month.

Earlier the Ministry stopped entertaining application for new arms license till February 15 but the date has now been extended owing to backlog.

According to Interior Ministry as many as arms licenses for 1,78,754 non-bore (NPB) were issued during last two years, of which 2,788 arms licenses for prohibited bore were issued by the present government.

Arms licenses are issued on the recommendations of parliamentarians and there is no quota restriction in this regard. However, on the directives of Interior Advisor the Ministry strictly verifies the data of the applicant.