In no country of the world the weapon licences are issued to the people as liberally as in Pakistan. Immediately after occupying the throne of Pakistan the present government performed the ‘noble act’ of issuing lakhs of weapon licences on the false pretext of maintaining law and order. The real objective was to turn the PPP jialas into a strong force and to make money because each licence fetches a pretty high price.
The scheme also included the issuance of licences for prohibited bore weapons which being automatic in nature kill a number of people in one burst and are only used by the law enforcement agencies. My previous letter on the subject (The Nation December 10, 2011) gives a vivid picture of the devastation caused to our society by the proliferation of weapons encouraged by the present rulers. Despite the fact that the media gives out exhaustive coverage of ever rising crime situation in the country on account of daily target killing, murders, armed robberies and other crimes, our despotic rulers have drawn no lessons.
Isn’t is surprising that instead of chalking out plans to discourage the proliferation of weapons, the Federal Interior Minister Rahman Malik has announced to issue arms licences of prohibited bore to legal fraternity ‘in lieu of terrorism threats’. It means addition of thousands of weapons to millions of them already creating havoc in the country.
The terrorism threats are not only aimed at lawyers but every citizen of Pakistan. As I understand the expansion of PPP vote bank is more important to our government than the state of terrorism, lawlessness, target killing and other murders, unrest and insecurity prevailing in the country. You will recall that some time back the Federal Law Minister visited the Lahore High Court with a bag full of currency notes and distributed them among the jiala lawyers. The issue of arms licences to them is a similar move to win their support.
RAFI NASIM,
Lahore, March 7.