Massive campaign, low turnout: Police deadline to surrender illegal arms goes by with minimal results

Law enforcers to start door-to-door operations against unlicensed weapons from today.

KARACHI:

In a city plagued by violence, only 16 weapons without licence were surrendered during the two-week drive against illegal weapons which ended on Saturday.

The drive, which was backed by a massive campaign worth Rs30 million, was started by the Sindh government following the Supreme Court's directive to clean Karachi of weapons.

Residents were told that they could surrender their illegal weapon at the police stations, offices of the deputy commissioners and of assistant commissioners by October 12 to avoid prosecution. The public response, however, was unsatisfactory to say the least.

"Around 16 illicit weapons have so far been surrendered in the two weeks," said Karachi Additional IG Shahid Hayat while talking to The Express Tribune. "Noble people do not possess illicit weapons," he said. "Around 99 per cent of the people who possess illegal weapons are involved in criminal activities."

From today [Sunday], the law enforcement agencies are entitled to impose a curfew and conduct door-to-door search operations for weapons without licence. "Frankly speaking, we were not expecting any big response but this turnout was definitely below our expectations," said chief of the district West and Central police DIG Javed Odho while talking to The Express Tribune. "But then again, this was merely a formality. Those who possess illegal weapons will now be in a difficult position as under the section of Arms Ordinance, they could be handed out strict punishment."



Something better than nothing

According to the police's records, the 16 weapons, including four rifles, five shotguns and seven pistols along with 202 ammunitions, were surrendered at around ten police stations - Defence, Artillery Maidan, Mominabad, Jackson, Shara-e-Noor Jahan, Gulberg, Samanabad, Steel Town, Bin Qasim and Gizri. "It's almost like we bought these 16 weapons for Rs30 million where Rs3 million would have sufficed for this awareness campaign as officials were not expecting a positive response in the first place," said an official of the Sindh government. "Thankfully, the campaign was only for 15 days and not for more than a month."

A businessman who surrendered his .22 rifle at the Steel Town police station was among those who thought it would be best to follow the law. "I got this weapon for safety reasons but I surrendered it as having an unlicenced weapon also put me and my family at risk. I first thought of dumping it somewhere but later decided to surrender it to the police station."



Hesitant to come forward

The identities of the people who surrendered their illicit weapons were kept confidential. But understandably, that is not an incentive for criminals to come forward and give in their weapons. "In our field, you are nothing if you don't have a good weapon," said a Karachi-based criminal while showing a pistol, adding that weapons are necessary, especially to survive in the society or for safeguarding their lives. "We're not fools that we could surrender our weapons when we could need them to defend ourselves from our enemies - or even to attack them."

On the other hand, citizens without criminal records are also hesitant in coming clean. "I have a weapon but I will only surrender it once the government or law enforcement agencies give me assurance that my family would be safe in Karachi," said a resident who has applied for his weapon's license but still waiting for its issuance by the government. "In our society, especially in Karachi, it is easy to get weapons but very difficult to get its licence."

Meanwhile, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon made it clear that the opportunity was only till October 12. "Date of the campaign will not be extended," he said. "Free hand has been given to the Rangers and police as are doing a good job. From today, we will start the operations in the city."

Published in The Express Tribune, October 13^th, 2013.