ISLAMABAD – The Ministry of Interior has released figures detailing the issuance of prohibited and non-prohibited bore arms licences, revealing that a total of 13,922 licences were issued over the past three years.
The report unveiled that more than 11,000 licences were granted for non-prohibited bore weapons, while 2,770 licences were issued for prohibited bore firearms during the same period.
| Category | Number of licences |
|---|---|
| Total licences issued over three years | 13,922 |
| Non-prohibited bore (NPB) | More than 11,000 |
| Prohibited bore (PB) | 2,770 |
| Licences issued in 2024 | 3,151 |
| Licences issued in 2025 | 3,125 |
| Licences issued so far in 2026 | 4,668 |
The ministry’s data shows that 3,151 arms licences were issued in 2024, followed by 3,125 in 2025.
A total of 4,668 arms licences have been issued by the Ministry of Interior so far this year, the report added.
In July 2026, the reports emerged that a government audit had uncovered major irregularities in the computerisation of arms licences, revealing that thousands of suspected licences were added to official records beyond those originally issued by the Ministry of Interior.
The findings prompted calls for a comprehensive investigation into the licensing process and the identification of those responsible, a local private television channel reported on Wednesday.
According to the audit report, authorities detected 9,291 additional suspected arms licences during the computerisation process, raising serious concerns over the integrity of the national arms licensing database.
The report states that the number of arms licences computerised exceeded the number officially issued by the Ministry of Interior. It found that 44,250 prohibited-bore arms licences were computerised, despite official records showing that only 36,497 such licences had actually been issued. This discrepancy represents an excess of 7,753 prohibited-bore licences, triggering concerns over possible irregularities in the system.
The audit also revealed that more than 186,000 arms licences were computerised in total, of which 10,464 were later declared fake after verification.
The findings indicate significant weaknesses in the computerisation process and suggest that unauthorised or fraudulent records may have been incorporated into the national database.
The officials reviewing the audit findings acknowledged the seriousness of the discrepancies. According to the report, the relevant authorities accepted the audit objection concerning the irregularities in the arms licence records.
The audit has recommended a thorough investigation into the computerisation process to determine how the discrepancies occurred and to identify officials responsible for any negligence or misconduct. It also called for measures to strengthen verification procedures and improve oversight to prevent similar issues in the future.
The revelations have raised concerns about the credibility of Pakistan’s arms licensing system and the need for greater transparency and accountability in the management of sensitive public records.
The local authorities are expected to initiate further inquiries in light of the audit findings.