In Pak: Smuggled pistols on hire for Rs.150 per hour

Lahore, Dec. 22 (ANI): Illegal arms trade and the easy availability of such smuggled weapons has added to the deteriorating law and order condition of Pakistan.

The extent of this illegal business can be gauzed from the fact that the pistols can now even be acquired on rent, which helps criminals to evade law-enforcement agencies.

"A pistol that costs around 20,000 rupees can now be acquired on rent for 150 rupees an hour ... if a person has the right references. Most people get pistols on rent on the pretext that they want to use them at weddings, but they instead use them in roadside snatchings. It's just like renting a motorbike," The Daily Times quoted a member of a local gang, as saying.

Sources said there are a number of smugglers who are only involved in the sales of pistols brought from North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

"These people change their addresses every month, and only deal with those with strong references," they said.

When asked about the issue, town Superintendent of Police (Operations) Ali Nasir Rizvi said the majority of local gangs mostly use arms manufactured in Peshawar or Darra.

"These arms dealers have contacts and they manage to get these weapons transported to the city ... illegal arms dealers have managed to smuggle a number of weapons into the city which they sell from time to time," Rizvi said. (ANI)