Sensible gun laws, limited access need to control gun violence

Speakers call for greater oversight over the marketing and sale of guns

PESHAWAR: With gun-related violence on the rise around the world, activists at a seminar on Sunday called for introducing sensible gun laws apart from making access to guns more difficult.

The seminar had been organised in relation to the global week of action against gun violence by civil society organisations including Blue Veins, the Pakhtunkhwa Civil Society Network (PCSN), Rashid Shaheed Foundation (RSF), Peace Justice and Youth Organization, Group Development Organization, and TransAction. This year’s theme was “Rise up for humanity: Control the guns” and comes at a time when the international community is beginning to realise that guns are a real threat due to a large number of gun violence and mass shootings across the world.

Ending gun violence is also a last component of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, an ambitious roadmap of 17 concrete goals intended to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all.

The participants of the seminar demanded sensible gun laws and reduce easy access to dangerous weapons especially to youngsters and individuals who are at risk of harming themselves or others.

The participants further called for holding the gun industry accountable and ensure there is adequate oversight over the marketing and sales of guns and ammunition.  Anti-gun campaigners further emphasised on engaging responsible gun dealers and owners in solutions. The participants demanded that the government should amend Arms Rules of 1924 and the Pakistan Arms Ordinance of 1965 to increase the penalty for possessing illegal arms to 10 years in prison.

“Gun violence in Pakistan has uniquely disproportionate impact on the youth,” said youth rights activist Sana Ahmad. Data shared by Gunpolicy.org showed that the estimated total number of guns (both licit and illicit) by civilians in Pakistan in 2017 was 43,917 while the number of licenced gun owners in the country by 2014 was reported to be 352,843. By 2017, this figure had jumped to around 600,000 and while the number of unregistered and unlawfully held weapons cannot be estimated.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3^rd, 2019.