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Airgun law · World

Are Airguns Legal in Pakistan?

Yes. Airguns are legal here for adults.

Free sale to adults with minimal or no national licensing, though local rules can still apply.

Tier 4: Permissive

Free sale to adults with minimal or no national licensing requirement.

PK

The picture at a glance

Each measure below scores how restrictive Pakistan is on that part of owning or transferring an airgun, from permissive (green) to firearm-level (red).

ClassificationThreshold-based
Age ruleUnclear
PossessionLicence required
Transfer / saleVariable
TransportCased
AuthorityUnclear

The rules in detail

Classification
Threshold-based
Pakistan Arms Ordinance 1965 (and provincial adaptations such as the Punjab Arms Ordinance; Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa now have their own Arms Acts of 2013): 'arms' expressly include air pistols (s.3(1)(b)(iii)), so an air pistol needs an arms licence where the Ordinance applies. Air rifles are not listed in the definition. No statutory joule threshold exists; the often-quoted 20 J figure does not appear in the Ordinance.
Age rule
Unclear
Provincial differences after 18th Amendment: Punjab, KPK, Sindh and Balochistan vary.
Possession
Licence required
Air rifles: no licence requirement found in the Arms Ordinance. Air pistols: arms licence required (s.3(1)(b)(iii)). Public carry without reasonable excuse illegal.
Transfer / sale
Variable
Air rifles: no licence requirement found in the Arms Ordinance. Air pistols: arms licence required (s.3(1)(b)(iii)).
Transport
Cased
Cased.
Authority
Unclear
Federal floor; provinces administer.

Hunting with an airgun

Verify provincially. Punjab: hunting with PCP or CO2 airguns is prohibited (ban announced June 2021 and written into s. 9 of the Punjab Wildlife Act 1974 by the 2023 amendment; the 2025 penalty schedule fines a PCP air gun used in illegal hunting Rs50,000).

Deer
Unresolved / not addressed
Not listed
Turkey
Unresolved / not addressed
Not listed
Small game
Unresolved / not addressed
Not listed
Predators
Unresolved / not addressed
Not listed
Other big game
Unresolved / not addressed
Not listed

Import & travel

Energy threshold
No statutory joule threshold: 1965 Arms Ordinance lists air pistols as licensable 'arms', air rifles unlisted; provincial Acts vary
Caliber rule
Not specified at the national level.

Local & import notes

Visitor procedure
Most permissive market in Asia for air rifles, which the 1965 Arms Ordinance does not list as 'arms'; air pistols need an arms licence.

Keep exploring

Open the interactive mapSee how this compares across the map and switch between legal and hunting views.→Ballistics toolkitCheck energy, velocity, and range for any airgun and load.→Ammo databaseBrowse 600+ pellets and slugs by caliber and weight.→

This is a plain-language summary compiled from primary statutes and official guidance. It isn't legal advice. Laws change and local rules vary, so verify the current rules with the relevant authority before buying, selling, or hunting.