Kids drawn to ‘toys of violence’ in Rawalpindi

The surge in street crime in the twin cities is beginning to have a detrimental impact on children engaging in outdoor play with modern toy weapons. Even parents say their children save their pocket money to buy these artificial toy weapons.

During the recent religious festival of Eidul Fitr, where children receive generous amounts of money as Eidi, many squandered their money on purchasing modern artificial toy weapons. They kept themselves engaged in games of policemen and robbers during vacations, they wielded these latest toys, mimicking firing actions from behind and around cars.

Shazia Khan, a resident of Islamabad and a parent of four children, shared with The Express Tribune that it's not just typical children, even those with autism are now drawn to playing with toy weapons. "I was in the kitchen when my 10-year-old autistic nephew approached me, waving his toy gun and demanding money. At first, I chuckled, but then I was taken aback. Such behaviour might be expected from typical children, but not from those with special needs."

Another woman from Rawalpindi, Qamar Fatima, said that she saw many children firing from artificial guns hiding behind and around the cars.

Observing the children's fascination, vendors have set up stalls selling weapon toys in streets and markets. In the open market, prices for toy weaponry vary: a toy pistol costs Rs50 , a triple-two costs Rs200, a modern Kalashnikov is priced at Rs350, a machine gun at Rs400, and a Mauser at Rs200. Additionally, bullets are sold for Rs50 to Rs100 per dozen. This growing trend of children engaging with toy weapons is deeply concerning.

In many areas, adults were observed purchasing these toy weapons for children under their care, prompting citizens to demand a ban on these latest toys.

A teacher at a government school, Muhammad Idris reminisces about his childhood, when water pistols and toy pistols with small firecrackers were prevalent while now modern weaponry is now available in toy form. The bullets for these toys range from 1 to 3 inches, posing a serious risk of injury, including vision loss, if fired from a distance.

An elderly citizen of Rawalpindi, Haji Fayyaz, was of the view that while small toy pistols may be deemed acceptable, the emergence of toy versions of modern weapons by criminal elements is alarming. This trend risks instilling a fascination with arms in children, fuelling future street crime. Immediate action is warranted to ban modern weapon toys, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 22^nd, 2024.