Toy guns damage eyes of six children
Thirty others suffer serious eye injuries, doctors, activists demand ban on toy guns
Children play with toy guns. PHOTO: FILE
ABBOTTABAD:
At least six children lost sight of an eye while 30 more suffered serious injuries to the eye during Eidul Fitr holidays when children rush to buy toy guns with plastic pellets with their Eidi.
According to a survey of a local NGO, the figures were acquired from public hospitals of the district.
Though the gun owners are well aware of the responsibility they should assume while handling the real weapon, for children the toys are simply toys and tend to shoot pellets directly at each other.
Child's nose chopped off for ‘stealing sugarcane' in Khanewal
In the recent survey conducted by a local NGO it was discovered that toy guns have destroyed eyesight of as many as six children while another 30 children or more have sustained serious injuries during and after the Eidul Fitr holidays.
The report by the local NGO ‘Right to Live’ was compiled after a visit to Ayub Medical Complex Hospital and District Headquarters Hospital.
Right to Live Chairman Muhammad Bilal and In-charge of Ophthalmology Ward Dr Zulfiqar while giving details to the media explained that children using toy guns had sustained serious injuries to their eyes of which six had completely lost their vision.
Furthermore, Dr Zulfiqar said another 26 children between the age of one to twelve years had sustained similar injuries and it would take long-term treatment for them to fully recover.
The senior doctor pointed out that some of the kids below the age of one-year had also received some cuts and shots on face and were being treated in surgery department.
According to Dr Zulfiquar some cases of swallowing parts of plastic toy guns along with pellets by younger children were brought in to health facilities with complaints of severe abdominal pain.
Bilal urged parents not to buy their children toy guns and appealed to the K-P government for taking stern action against the manufacture and sale of toy guns.
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They urged the provincial authorities to issue directives to police and administration to impose complete ban on the sale of these toys in markets and shops.
They demanded nationwide campaign through print and electronic media about the hazards of this game which is not being treated serious problem. This apparent child’s play encourages children to act like terrorists with their toy guns.
Children start accepting gun violence as a normal behaviour when they grow up playing with such toys.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 24th, 2018.
At least six children lost sight of an eye while 30 more suffered serious injuries to the eye during Eidul Fitr holidays when children rush to buy toy guns with plastic pellets with their Eidi.
According to a survey of a local NGO, the figures were acquired from public hospitals of the district.
Though the gun owners are well aware of the responsibility they should assume while handling the real weapon, for children the toys are simply toys and tend to shoot pellets directly at each other.
Child's nose chopped off for ‘stealing sugarcane' in Khanewal
In the recent survey conducted by a local NGO it was discovered that toy guns have destroyed eyesight of as many as six children while another 30 children or more have sustained serious injuries during and after the Eidul Fitr holidays.
The report by the local NGO ‘Right to Live’ was compiled after a visit to Ayub Medical Complex Hospital and District Headquarters Hospital.
Right to Live Chairman Muhammad Bilal and In-charge of Ophthalmology Ward Dr Zulfiqar while giving details to the media explained that children using toy guns had sustained serious injuries to their eyes of which six had completely lost their vision.
Furthermore, Dr Zulfiqar said another 26 children between the age of one to twelve years had sustained similar injuries and it would take long-term treatment for them to fully recover.
The senior doctor pointed out that some of the kids below the age of one-year had also received some cuts and shots on face and were being treated in surgery department.
According to Dr Zulfiquar some cases of swallowing parts of plastic toy guns along with pellets by younger children were brought in to health facilities with complaints of severe abdominal pain.
Bilal urged parents not to buy their children toy guns and appealed to the K-P government for taking stern action against the manufacture and sale of toy guns.
Mohmand Agency incident: Ten children injured in road crash
They urged the provincial authorities to issue directives to police and administration to impose complete ban on the sale of these toys in markets and shops.
They demanded nationwide campaign through print and electronic media about the hazards of this game which is not being treated serious problem. This apparent child’s play encourages children to act like terrorists with their toy guns.
Children start accepting gun violence as a normal behaviour when they grow up playing with such toys.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 24th, 2018.