Influencing young minds: Business community urged not to make or sell toy guns

KCCI vice-president asks govt to also check import of toy guns from China.

KARACHI: The senior vice-president of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Muffasar A Malik, has urged the business community to refrain from manufacturing, importing and selling toy guns as they have a negative impact on the minds and personalities of children.

Referring to a letter sent by city commissioner Shoaib Siddiqui to the chamber, Malik said that the commissioner had raised the issue and approached KCCI for assistance. Malik assured that KCCI members and other businessmen, involved in the trade and sale of toy guns, will be advised to reconsider their activities in view of public concern. He also advised the government to strictly monitor and even consider imposing a ban on the import of toy guns which are mainly imported from China. “The minds of our children are already being adversely affected by the incidents of terrorism in the country. It is unwise to give toy guns to children as it not only causes an undesirable impact on their growing minds but also makes them violent.”



He requested the electronic media to act responsibly when broadcasting any story on violence or terrorism. Such stories should be televised once or twice a day in the main bulletins and should not be repeated all day or incorporated in every talk show as it triggers anxiety amongst the masses, besides having a terrible impact on young minds, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 6^th,2013.