'Bandooq Girao, Kitaab Uthao': Activists call for ‘operation’ against weapons

Naeem Sadiq says it's a myth that 'it is impossible to eradicate gun culture from Pakistan'

KARACHI: An operation along the lines of Zarb-e-Azb and Zarb-e-Ahan against weapons is the need of the hour.

Activists and campaigners under the banner of Citizens Against Weapons (CAW) raised this demand during a talk titled 'Bandooq Girao, Kitaab Uthao' at The Second Floor on Friday. The talk focused on the idea that it is the responsibility of the state and not armed guards to protect citizens.

CAW campaigner Naeem Sadiq said that it is a myth that it is impossible to 'de-weaponise' Pakistan.

Giving his presentation, Sadiq said that Pakistan has been in the news internationally due to two big numbers from the country. "One is 25 million out-of-school children and the second is 20 million citizens with weapons," he pointed out.

Referring to a few other myths revolving around the use of weapons, Sadiq a myth we live in is that our country has inadequate laws for de-weaponisation. "We have enough laws that are not implemented," he added.

Author Rumana Husain shed light on the main idea behind the talk. According to her, there should be a nationwide 'Operation Peace', which will be against weapons, hideouts and people who promote the culture of arms.

Talking about the efforts of CAW, she said that the group has written to every lawmakers calling for steps against weapons' use and their open endorsement. "None of the lawmakers from the 1,200 who were sent letters have ever replied," she sighed. She said that besides the letters, many meetings have been conducted with police officials who 'agreed to take some serious steps but no decisions have been taken so far to curb gun culture'.

Jinnah hospital's emergency department head Dr Seemin Jamali recalled how she has seen people dying due to excessive use of guns in the country. "In the 27 years of my experience in Jinnah's emergency ward, I saw scores of people die because of these weapons," she said, recalling the cases of Hamza Khan, Shahzaib Khan and Sabeen Mahmud.

Jamali shared that more than 600 people die in Jinnah hospital annually due to gunshot wounds. "The government should realise that our children are getting immune to guns, which should be stopped," she stressed.

Spreading awareness

CAW campaigners put forward certain demands to help curb the culture of arms. According to them, no citizen, regardless of his or her rank or status, must be allowed to possess, carry or display weapons of any kind - licensed or otherwise.

In compliance with Article 256 of the Constitution, all private militias, regardless of their patrons, must be disbanded, issuance of new weapon licences be banned and those issued earlier be cancelled.

Their last point suggests that the import, sale, transportation, delivery and display of all kinds of weapons be forbidden as well.

Citizens were also encouraged to come together to lend support and endorsement to a nationwide de-weaponisation programme. Campaigners suggested that they should form a 'Citizens Against Weapons' group in their own city or locality and anyone, from students and teachers to doctors and lawyers, should be given membership. Such groups should spread awareness, hold discussions, deliver talks to other groups, write letters and articles for newspapers and arrange events such as walks, plays, music concerts and art shows to further the message.

A documentary was also played in the session before the discussion, quoting data and statistics of killings and weapons in the country.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 16^th, 2016.