Licence to kill?

The start of every New Year is filled with a lot of joy and happiness but also met with much sorrow and regret. Every year countless incidents of deaths are caused by celebratory firings across the country. Similar is the case this year. Till now, one person has died in Rawalpindi while around 14 have been injured in Karachi from stray bullets and the reports keep on coming.

There has been much debate about civilians owning firearms and the need for gun control. However in a country like Pakistan where lawlessness is on the rise, the issue has barely been raised by the authorities.

The law here permits citizens to own private fully-automatic, semi-automatic and handheld guns under license and many claim it is their right to own one for the purpose of self-defence. Let’s be honest, you don’t need a fully automatic weapon for self-defence, unless you plan on going on a killing spree or merely want one for personal pleasure. Such weapons should only be confined to the battlefield. At most, a handgun should suffice and its use solely restricted for self-defence because owning one increases the possibility of fatal incidents and risks the lives of others. The fact is that arms and ammunitions were made for a specific: to kill. It is ironic to see such machines being used for celebratory purposes.

Apart from regulating the use and ownership of firearms, something also needs to be done about the circulation of illegal firearms as well. It is about time the government introduces or amends laws to enforce greater gun control. This will not only help prevent such unwanted incidents but also help curb crime in the country. The government needs to work on a year-long resolution to bring about the necessary changes. Those who do own guns must exercise refrain from excessive use of firearms during celebrations this year.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 2^nd, 2020.

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