PESHAWAR, Jun 22 (APP):The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has dismissed petitions challenging increase in arms license issuance and renewal fees in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in a detailed 34-page judgment on Monday. The decision was announced by Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Inamullah Khan. In its judgment, the court observed that judicial intervention in government policy matters is limited and can only be exercised when an illegal act or a violation of …
PHC upholds increase in arms license fees
PESHAWAR, Jun 22 (APP):The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has dismissed petitions challenging increase in arms license issuance and renewal fees in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in a detailed 34-page judgment on Monday.
The decision was announced by Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Inamullah Khan.
In its judgment, the court observed that judicial intervention in government policy matters is limited and can only be exercised when an illegal act or a violation of fundamental rights is proven. The court held that no such grounds were established in the present case.
The petitioners, including the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rifle Association argued that the increase of more than 100 percent in arms license fees was unlawful. They contended that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Arms Act, 2013 was being used as a means of revenue generation rather than for regulatory purposes.
Additional Advocate General Taimur Khan informed the court that the KP Arms Act, 2013 and the Arms Rules, 2014 authorize the government to regulate the licensing system and determine related fees. He stated that the fee increase had been approved by the provincial cabinet and was therefore legally valid.
The court further remarked that arms licensing is not merely an administrative matter but is closely linked to public safety. It emphasized that the state has a responsibility to prevent the misuse of weapons and noted that the licensing system should be made even more stringent to ensure public security.
With these observations, the court dismissed all petitions challenging the revised arms license fees.
