By Babar Dogar

Gujrat district hits the top position in race for possessing prohibited brand illegal weapons where police have recovered record number of such arms as compared to any other district of the province during the past two and a half years.

According to data collected from Special Branch Punjab Police, the ratio of recovery of illegal weapons in Gujrat is the maximum as compared to any other district of the province where police have recovered 1.42 weapons from each accused. The data further revealed police had recovered a prohibited bore weapon from every 2.89 arrested persons on the charge of possessing illegal weapons. During the last two and a half years, the police have conducted 7442 raids in Gujrat and recovered 10,593 illegal weapons after arresting 7821 accused. The recovered arms included rifle 1361, Stengun 4, Pistol/Revolver 5658, K.kov 198 (highest in Punjab), Hand Grenade 2177 (highest in Punjab), Repeater 102, Gun/Carbine 1004 and miscellaneous 89. The police have also recovered 38,560 rounds of ammunition from the accused.

It is pertinent to mention the amount of illicit weapons (10593) recovered from Gujrat district are even greater than Rawalpindi Range (5529) having four districts, Sargodha Range (7658) four districts, Multan Range (7335) six districts and Bahawalpur Range (8200) with three districts. Likewise, Gujrat police have arrested 7,182 accused after registering 7821 cases in 7,442 raids which are higher figures as compared to Rawalpindi Range’s 4346 arrested accused and 4,576 cases registered against them in 3,427 raids, Sargodha Range’s 7,469 arrested accused in 7,467 cases and Multan Range’s 7714 accused in 7717 cases. The number of accused at large in illegal arms cases is also highest in Gujrat (639) as compared to any other district of the province.

However, Lahore is matchless in the recovery of illegal weapons where police have conducted the maximum raids of 19,839 and recovered 19,911 illegal weapons including 60,680 ammunitions after arresting 19,839 accused. The breakdown of recovered weapons from the accused included Rifle 984, Stengun 07, Pistol/Revolver 16104 (highest in the province), K.kov 82, Hand Grenade 19, Repeater 158, Gun/Carbine 2150(highest in the province) and miscellaneous 443. The recovery of illegal arms against every arrested accused is 1.03 per cent in Lahore.

Rawalpindi Range is on the top of the list in the recovery of illegal weapons as well as prohibited bore weapons where the police of six districts including Gujranwala, Hafizabad, M.B.Din, Sialkot and Narowal conducted 23,414 raids, arrested 27,336 accused and recovered 33,548 illegal weapons including 1,35,579 ammunitions (highest in the province). The ratio of recovery of illicit weapons from each accused is 1.25 arms in Gujranwala Range. Police have conducted 5,874 raids in Gujranwala district and recovered Rifle 776, Stengun 4, Pistol/Revolver 5020, K.kov 95, Hand Grenade 33, Repeater 240, Gun/Carbine 1005, Miscellaneous 0. The total recovered illicit arms are 7,173 while the arrested accused are 6,795. Hafizabad police have conducted 1,875 raids and recovered 1,877 illicit weapons including 315 Rifle, Stengun zero, Pistol/Revolver 791, K.Kov 10, Hand Grenades zero, Repeater 16, Gun/Carbine 745 as well as 4723 ammunitions. M.B.Din police did not conduct any raid but recovered 490 Rifle, Stengun zero, Pistol/Revolver 1,463, K.kov24, Hand Grenade zero, Repeater 13, Gun/Carbine 834, miscellaneous 28, ammunition 2,852 while 2,852 cases were registered against the same number of accused.

Sialkot Police have conducted 6,605 raids and recovered 8,802 illicit weapons from them including Rifle 891, Stengun 5, pistol/revolver 6,265, K.kov 122, Hand Grenade 27, Repeater 96, Gun/Carbine 1382, miscellaneous 14 while 6,574 cases were registered against 6,545 persons. In Narowal district, police have conducted 1,618 raids and recovered 2,251 illicit weapons including Rifle 337, Stengun zero, pistol/revolver 1376, K.kov 22, Hand Grenade 6, Repeater 34, Gun/Carbine 473, miscellaneous 3, while the arrested persons are 2087.

A critical analysis of recovered weapons reveals that Gujrat remained the focus of Gujrawanla Range Police where they have conducted 33 per cent raids of the total raids in six districts, recovered 35 per cent weapons of the total weapons, 30 per cent of the total arrested persons and 65 per cent of the total prohibited brand weapons of the Range.

Faisalabad Range falls second where police have recovered 16,963 illicit weapons after conducting 4,278 raids and arrested 16,548. Faisalabad district police have conducted 4,278 raids and recovered 13,894 weapons including Rifle 1502, Stengun 04, pistol/revolver 8316, k.kov 49, hand grenade six, Repeater 190, Gun/Carbine 3,827 and ammunition 50,092 after arresting 13,520 accused. Jhang police have conducted 2,716 raids and recovered 2,243 illicit weapons including rifle 361, stengun zero, pistol/revolver 987, k.kov 12, hand grenade two, Repeater 190, Gun/Carbine 872 and ammunition 7,718. The police have registered 2,274 cases after arresting 2,205 accused. T.T Singh police have conducted 1,447 raids and recovered 826 illegal weapons including rifle 86, stengun zero, pistol/revolver 510, k.kov four, hand grenade three, Repeater 13, Gun/Carbine 210 and ammunition 3070. The police have registered 823 cases after arresting 823 accused.

Sheikhupura Range falls in the third position where police have recovered 15,699 illicit weapons and arrested 14,901 accused after registering cases against the same number of persons. Kasur district police conducted 58 raids and recovered 4,119 illicit weapons including rifle 485, stengun two, pistol/revolver 2097, k.kov 119 and Repeater 1402. The Kasur police have arrested 4083 accused after registering the same number of cases. Sheikhupura police have recovered 7,460 illicit weapons including rifle 1239, stengun zero, pistol/revolver 2915, k.kov 112 and Repeater 180 and Gun/Carbine 3000. The police have arrested 6,972 accused after registering the same number of cases.

Okara police have recovered 4,120 illicit weapons including rifle 544, stengun one, pistol/revolver 2915, k.kov seven, Repeater 32 and Gun/carbine 1156. The police have arrested 3846 accused after registering the same number of cases.

Dera Ghazi Khan Range Police falls fourth in the race of the recovery of illegal arms which confiscated 11,068 illicit arms in 11,613 raids after registering 10,967 cases against 10953 accused. Muzaffar Garh Police bagged top position in the range by recovering 5,956 illicit weapons in 5,823 raids including rifle 218, stengun one, pistol/revolver 3,853, k.kov 62, hand grenade nine, Repeater 25 and Gun/Carbine 1784. The Muzaffargarh police have arrested 5,822 accused after registering the same number of cases. Rajanpur police have recovered 3014 illicit weapons in 2,719 raids including rifle 858, stengun zero, pistol/revolver 1479, k.kov 108, hand grenade four, Repeater seven and Gun/Carbine 548. The police have arrested 2,965 accused after registering 2,976 cases. Layyah Police recovered 703 illicit weapons in 1,598 raids including rifle 91, stengun one, pistol/revolver 342, k.kov 10, hand grenade 9, Repeater 11 and Gun/Carbine 223. The police have arrested 695 accused after registering 696 cases.

D.G.Khan police recovered 1,395 illicit weapons in 1,473 raids including rifle 158, stengun zero, pistol/revolver 1019, k.kov 65, hand-grenade two, Repeater one and Gun/Carbine 143. The police have arrested 1,471 accused after registering 1,473 cases.

Bahawalpur Range falls fifth where police have recovered 8,200 illegal weapons in 9,121 raids after registering 8,135 cases and arresting 8,124 accused. R.Y Khan district is at the top in Bahawalpur Range where police have recovered 2,984 illicit weapons in 5,421 raids including rifle 184, stengun zero, pistol/revolver 1,167, k.kov 88, hand-grenade zero, Repeater 25 and Gun/Carbine 1,520. The R.Y. Khan police have arrested 2,958 accused after registering 2,962 cases. Bahawalpur police have recovered 2,400 illicit weapons in 2606 raids including rifle 214, stengun one, pistol/revolver 980, k.kov 15, hand-grenade zero, Repeater 40 and Gun/Carbine 1107. The police have arrested 2345 accused after registering 2350 cases. Bahawalnagar police have recovered 2,810 illicit weapons in 1094 raids including rifle 288, stengun zero, pistol/revolver 2019, k.kov 13, hand-grenade one, Repeater 31 and Gun/Carbine 462. The police have arrested 2,821 accused after registering 2,823 cases.

Multan Range falls sixth in the recovery of illicit arms where police have recovered 7,335 illicit arms in 7,667 raids after registering 7,717 cases against 7,714 accused. Vehari district remained the most sensitive area due to sectarian killings in previous years where police have conducted 2,987 raids and confiscated 2803 weapons from 2,987 accused after registering 2,987cases against them. The weapons recovered included rifle 413, stengun zero, pistol/revolver 1,716, k.kov 17, hand-grenade 20, Repeater 0 and Gun/Carbine 637.

Multan police have recovered 1,647 illicit weapons in 1,596 raids including rifle 71, stengun one, pistol/revolver 1348, k.kov six, hand-grenade zero, Repeater 16 and Gun/Carbine 205. The police have arrested 1,649 accused after registering 1,649 cases. Lodhran police recovered 1,546 illicit weapons in 1,443 raids including rifle 174, stengun zero, pistol/revolver 762, k.kov 11, hand-grenade three, Repeater 132 and Gun/Carbine 464. The police have arrested 1443 accused after registering 1443 cases. Khanewal police recovered 519 illicit weapons in 519 raids including rifle 55, stengun one, pistol/revolver 270, k.kov four, hand-grenade one, Repeater zero and Gun/Carbine 188. The police have arrested 519 accused after registering 519 cases. Sahiwal police recovered 350 illicit weapons in 350 raids including rifle 35, stengun zero, pistol/revolver 217, k.kov one, hand-grenade zero, Repeater zero and Gun/Carbine 97. The police have arrested 344 accused after registering 347 cases. Pakpattan recovered 470 illicit weapons in 772 raids including rifle 129, stengun zero, pistol/revolver 296, k.kov zero, hand grenade zero, Repeater zero and Gun/Carbine 45. The police have arrested 772 accused after registering 772 cases.

Sargodha Range police have confiscated 7,658 illicit weapons after conducting 9,795 raids and arresting 7,469 accused in 7,467 cases. Sargodha police recovered 3,191 illicit weapons in 3,106 raids including rifle 400, stengun zero, pistol/revolver 1660, k.kov 15, hand-grenade two, Repeater 25 and Gun/Carbine 1086. The police have arrested 3,156 accused after registering 3,157 cases. Khushab police recovered 1059 illicit weapons in 3,426 raids including rifle 99, stengun one, pistol/revolver 522, k.kov 16, hand-grenade one, Repeater 10 and Gun/Carbine 386. The police have arrested 1043 accused after registering 1047 cases. Mianwali police recovered 2,846 illicit weapons in 2,728 raids including rifle 366, stengun one, pistol/revolver 1,829, k.kov 78, hand-grenade 32, Repeater seven and Gun/Carbine 484. The police have arrested 2,739 accused after registering 2,728 cases. Bhakkar police recovered 562 illicit weapons in 535 raids including rifle 64, stengun zero, pistol/revolver 276, k.kov 11, hand-grenade 16, Repeater zero and Gun/Carbine 187. The police have arrested 531 accused after registering 535 cases.

Attock police have recovered 619 illicit weapons including rifle 34, stengun zerostol/revolver 506 k.kov 19 hand-grenade zero repeater zero and Gun/Carbine 57. The police have arrested 461 accused after registering 662 cases. Jhelum police have confiscated 818 arms in 816 raids including rifle 97, stengun zero, pistol/revolver 607, k.kov 04, hand-grenade zero, Repeater 10 and Gun/Carbine 99. The police have arrested 813 accused after registering 816 cases. While Chakwal police have arrested 627 accused in 653 raids including rifle 63, stengun one, pistol/revolver 390, k.kov seven, hand grenade nine, Repeater five and Gun/Carbine 151. The police have arrested 569 accused after registering 624 cases.