Deadly celebration

Independence Day is meant to be a celebration of freedom, not a night of mourning. Yet this year around, the country once again witnessed the grim consequences of a reckless practice that authorities have repeatedly banned but failed to eliminate. At least two people were killed and 94 injured in incidents of celebratory firing on the eve of August 14 in Karachi alone, turning what should have been a moment of national pride into a needless public-health and law-and-order crisis.

What makes the latest episode particularly unacceptable is that none of this is unexpected. Aerial firing has become a recurring feature of Independence Day and New Year's Eve celebrations in Karachi despite repeated prohibitions and warnings. Last year, three people, including a minor girl, were killed and more than 100 wounded in similar incidents. Police subsequently arrested dozens of suspects and recovered weapons, while senior officials acknowledged the persistence of the city's gun culture. Yet a year later, the same tragedy has returned. This cannot simply be dismissed as the irresponsible behaviour of a few individuals. Firing a weapon into the air is inherently dangerous because a bullet does not cease to be lethal merely because its target is unknown. It eventually comes down somewhere, potentially striking someone. The victims therefore have no opportunity to protect themselves from a threat they cannot see.

Unless the state addresses illegal weapons and irresponsible firearm ownership, periodic crackdowns after such celebrations will remain little more than temporary deterrents. At the same time, enforcement cannot rest entirely on the state. There is a troubling social acceptance of firing guns as a means of expressing happiness. That culture must change. Independence Day offers countless ways to express patriotism without endangering anyone. Flags, lights, fireworks conducted safely, community events and simply celebrating with loved ones are hardly inadequate substitutes for gunfire.