A new shooting range for Karachiites

KARACHI: Karachi is going to have another state-of-the-art shooting range that is likely to be opened for public on August 14.

It has been learnt that Karachi Garrison Skeet & Shooting Range is almost complete (95 percent) and is likely to be opened for public on the Independence Day.

This range is under the control of Pakistan Army.

It will be run by Hamza Zahid Khan of International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) Pakistan and Mohammad Akhtar, a former shooter from Pakistan Navy.

“This range is being built in two phases. In the first phase we will have 25 metre (15 targets), 50 metre, skeet, and training bay. In the second phase we will have 100m, 200m, and 10m ranges,” Hamza told ‘The News’.

He added that their mission was to have a range in city with easy access for public, and the second aim was to have a practice range for Pakistan Army’s shooting teams.

Hamza said they would introduce some new categories after some time such as IDPA, archery, and air gun. “This club will hold courses for both civilians and armed forces — for the first time in the country,” said Hamza.

He said the membership was limited initially. It would be open for 55 members for Rs200,000 (life time), but later it would be extended and the membership fee would be Rs400,000 (life time), he added.

The range will have a gun shop where second hand guns will be available on rent.

Hamza said the beginners would have a great opportunity to learn and practise shooting at the range. “As many as 30 athletes can shoot at the same time here. One of our priorities is active weekdays, which is against the current practices at different ranges,” he added.

Hamza said they would hold competitions every month and that would be their hallmark. “We will also have night shooting facility. We will take full advantage of this location,” said Hamza, adding that National Rifle Association of Pakistan (NRAP) had nothing to do with this range.

Hamza said the range did not have e-scoring system at present but they had purchased the best machines for the range. “We have bought two skeet machines from Laporte. The versions we have bought are latest of this French company and are also to be used at Rio Olympics,” said Hamza.

The cost of these two skeet machines with wireless activators was Rs1.8 million, he added. “We will have trap and double trap mechanism in the second phase. There will be 15 turning targets at the 25m range, and travelling targets at 50m range,” said Hamza.

He said they would establish teams to take part in competitions at the national level and that female instructors would also be hired to teach shooting to kids and females.