Industry of fake gun licences makes Pakistan the largest fraudulent gun licence manufacturer in the world
KARACHI: It is deeply alarming that the government’s SRO (1)/2018 removes the ban on issuance of prohibited-bore gun licences, thus enabling our elite to own unlimited number of automatic weapons.
There are some 20 million legal and illegal weapons in the hands of militants, mafias and private individuals in Pakistan. It is a well-documented fact that gun violence is directly proportional to the prevalence of guns in any country. The US is a prime example of this dilemma. On the other hand, sensible countries like Australia, Japan and the UK, through deweaponisation schemes, have almost completely eliminated gun violence.
The recent discovery of the police, gun dealers and bureaucrats collectively engaged in manufacturing thousands of fake gun licences may have come as a shock to many.
The industry of fake gun licences, thriving for decades, has made Pakistan perhaps the largest fraudulent gun licence manufacturer in the world. The latest notification of the government is likely to add fuel to this fire, with a new era of violence, militancy and tribal culture feared in Pakistan.
It is time for the government to assume its responsibility to protect the lives of all citizens and declare that all categories of weapons must lie only in the domain of the state and that no citizen be allowed to possess, carry or display any weapon — licensed or otherwise.
It would be prudent for the government to withdraw SRO (1)/2018, put an end to issuance of all gun licences and declare the existing weapon licences (largely issued on the basis of favour, status, influence or bribe), null and void.
Naeem Sadiq
Published in The Express Tribune, January 10th, 2019.
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