Legal firearms to be surrendered by Jan 31

The Ministry of Home Affairs has directed all holders of suspended and licensed firearms and ammunition to deposit them by January 31, 2026, ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election.

The order was issued through a gazette notification signed by Abeda Afsari, Deputy Secretary of the Political-4 Wing, on January 18, 2026. Licensed firearm holders are required to deposit their firearms and ammunition at the nearest police station to their permanent or current address, or with an authorized firearms dealer, either personally or through a nominated representative.

The directive exempts law enforcement personnel involved in maintaining law and order, as well as security guards serving government, semi-government, and private institutions, including financial establishments.

It also does not apply to politically important persons and parliamentary candidates, including their armed retainers, who have legally submitted and had their nomination papers accepted by the Election Commission, as per the Firearms License and Retainer Appointment Policy, 2025. For these candidates, existing rules restricting the display of legal firearms will remain inapplicable.