Pakistan has permissive gun laws compared to the rest of South Asia and has the sixth largest number of private guns in the world. Laws regulate the carrying of weapons in public in most urban areas. Private weapons are prohibited in educational institutions, hostels, boarding houses and accommodations, fairs, gatherings or parades of a political, religious, ceremonial or sectarian character, as well as on the premises of courts or public offices. [266] Pakistani law does not prescribe whether gun licenses must be refused or revoked, and a license allows possession of an unlimited number of weapons, including handguns of any size and fully automatic weapons. Guns are traditionally an important part of rural life in the northwestern regions, where it is not uncommon for people to legally carry RPGs and assault rifles. [ref. Firearms laws and regulations (collectively referred to as firearms regulation or gun control) govern the manufacture, sale, transfer, possession, modification and use of small arms and light weapons by civilians. The regulation of firearms in Switzerland is relatively liberal. [311] Swiss arms law primarily concerns the acquisition of weapons, not possession. Such a licence is not required to own a firearm yourself, but a licence is required to purchase most types of firearms. Bolt-action rifles do not require a purchase permit and can only be purchased with a background check. [312] Firearms laws in Australia are the responsibility of state governments, with the importation of weapons regulated by the federal government.

Firearms laws were largely harmonized by the National Firearms Agreement in 1996. In two state-funded gun buybacks and voluntary surrenders, as well as gun amnesties by state governments before and after the Port Arthur massacre, more than a million guns were collected and destroyed, perhaps a third of the national stockpile. [384] Salvadoran laws are intended to authorize and regulate the possession of firearms by civilians. To get a firearms licence, you must have no criminal record, be at least 21 years old (24 years old for a gun licence), pay tax stamps (about $32) and pass a written exam. In total, the process takes about three hours. [189] In 2017, there were 344,587 registered firearms in El Salvador, or 5.6 per 100 people. South Korea has a strict gun policy. Hunting and sports licences are issued, but any firearms used in these circumstances must be kept at a local police station. Air rifles must also be stored in police stations; Crossbows and electric shock devices are also classified as firearms, but their private storage is allowed.

Tasers are prohibited and possession of a toy gun without an orange tip is strictly prohibited. Firearms violations can result in a fine of $18,000 and up to 10 years in prison. [277] Legislation restricting small arms and light weapons may also restrict other weapons such as explosives, crossbows, swords, stun guns, air guns, and pepper spray. It can also restrict firearm accessories, especially high-capacity magazines and silencers. There may be restrictions on the quantity or type of ammunition purchased, with certain types prohibited. Due to the global reach of this article, not all of these issues can be reported in detail. Instead, the article will attempt to briefly summarize each country`s firearms laws regarding the use of small arms and light weapons by civilians. Canada`s firearms laws are set out in the Firearms Act. The Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL) is distributed by the RCMP (Federal Policing) and requires participation in a firearms safety course and successful completion of an examination, background check and reference interviews. The PAL allows the purchase of the most popular sporting rifles and shotguns. A restricted PAL (RPAL) has an additional course for restricted weapons that have increased storage requirements. [178] The two main reasons for owning firearms are sport shooting and hunting.

These laws can be classified by country according to some specific common characteristics: Historically and legally, EU member states have their own laws that differ from country to country, which has led to differences in the scope of legal access to firearms between EU countries. While U.S. gun laws are classified as “permissive,” those of all countries in Asia and the Pacific are classified as “restrictive.” No country in our region has anything resembling the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution for bearing arms, most discourage or prohibit private weapons in self-defense, and mass shootings are rare. Our population has much lower rates of gun ownership and death and, most importantly, very different attitudes, particularly in Oceania. A majority of Americans favor stricter gun sales laws, but today`s 57 percent is significantly lower than a year ago. Firearms laws in Israel are comprehensive, although soldiers are allowed to carry their service weapons on or off duty. Civilians must be able to acquire, possess, sell or transfer a firearms licence.

In 2018, Israel significantly eased firearms restrictions so that all citizens who had completed combat training and qualified for advanced infantry training (“Rifleman “07”) could apply for a private handgun license. [240] Firearms laws are often enacted with the intention of reducing the use of small arms in criminal activities, specifying which weapons are deemed capable of causing the most harm and which weapons are easiest to conceal, such as handguns and other short-barrelled weapons. People who do not have legal access to firearms may be under a certain age or with a criminal record. Firearms licences may be denied to individuals who feel most at risk of injuring themselves or others, such as those with family violence, alcohol or substance use disorder, mental illness, depression or suicide attempts. Those applying for a firearms licence may need to prove their competence by taking a firearms safety course and proving a safe place to store firearms. Japan has been described as the country with “perhaps the first arms buyback initiative” in 1685 and is the first country to introduce gun laws in the world; [252] As a result, gun ownership is very rare: 0.6 guns per 100 population in 2007. When massacres do occur, they are often committed by attackers armed with knives rather than weapons. In 2014, there were 6 gun deaths in Japan. [251] However, the laws and regulations governing the carrying and possession of firearms by hunters, snipers, collectors, and the import and export of weapons differ from region to region in Belgium; A valid license is almost always required. Edged weapons, airsoft weapons, paintball guns and deactivated weapons do not require a permit or license and can be purchased for free.

Weapons laws in Hungary are relatively strict and are governed by Law 24/2004,[345] Government Decision 253/2004. (VIII. 31.) and Directive of the Minister of the Interior 49/2004. The law defines a firearm with a muzzle energy greater than 7.5 joules (5.5 ft.5 ft.). A firearms licence may be issued to persons over 18 years of age who do not have a criminal conviction or intellectual disability and who have passed a basic firearms theory or practical test.