Several social media ‘gangsters’ held

A police spokesperson says over the past few months the trend of displaying weapons on social media platforms

ISLAMABAD:

Many men have been arrested by the Islamabad Police for terrorising residents and spreading fear by uploading pictures and videos of heavy weapons on social media. A police spokesperson said that over the past few months the trend of displaying weapons on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram has increased. “These young men put up videos with guns and rifles while adding songs in the background suggesting they are gangsters,” SP Sarfaraz Virk said. He pointed out how most of these youngsters do this for fun without realizing the grave impact such content can have on other users. “Parents play a huge role here. They need to monitor what their children are doing,” Virk said. Section 11B of the Pakistan Arms Ordinance, 1965, “the carrying or display of arms at fairs or in gatherings or processions of a political, religious, ceremonial or sectarian character or on the premises of courts of law or public offices” is prohibited. Defying the orders can result in the suspension or cancellation of the weapons’ license, fines and imprisonment for at least seven years.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 3^rd, 2020.