We have become a society that finds more comfort around weapons, raising a generation that is in uncomfortably close proximity to guns. To ensure the security of various establishments, adding to the number of weapons on their premises is not necessarily the answer. Deploying a large number of gun-toting security personnel does not come with the promise that security will be ensured. It must be recalled that a teacher in Swat accidentally shot a 12-year-old student in June while cleaning his gun in school. More often than not, a weaponised society only provides a false sense of security. As has been witnessed all too often, areas with the strictest security are also vulnerable to terror attacks. The least we can do is at least ensure that our educational institutions do no become heavily weaponised areas. We hope that other institutions follow the example set by IVS and DUHS, and become places where guns are unwelcome. Schools and colleges should be spaces that provide safety and freedom of movement for students. The presence of guns does not foster such an environment.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 11th, 2015.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
COMMENTS (1)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ