KOHAT: A crackdown is on the cards on toy weapons in the local markets, it is learnt.

Deputy commissioner Kamran Afridi said he had imposed an immediate ban under section 144 on the sale of toy weapons. Talking to Dawn, he said the ban was aimed to keep children from use of toy weapons as the practice lead them to violence and crimes in later stages of life. “The practice has left a negative impact on the society as in 65 per cent cases children tend to buy guns and pistols instead of other toys like cars and helicopters,” he said.

Mr Afridi said he had directed the district police officer Mohammad Soheb Ashraf to start cleanup operation in bazaars against such toys.

Mr Soheb when contacted on telephone told Dawn the crackdown against toy weapons will start before Eid. He appealed to the people to report to the concerned police station if they found any shop in their areas selling toy arms. “If people cooperate then we can eliminate the menace,” he added.

On the other hand, the shopkeepers criticised the step and said it would badly affect their business, specially if the crackdown was started before Eid when they had enormous business in toy arms.

Wazir Mohammad, a wholesaler, said the government should give them time before launching the crackdown.

Lal Gul, who also deals in toy weapons, said if the government wanted to remove toy arms from markets, then it should purchase the same from dealers as they had bought such toys in bulk for Eid. They appealed to the administration to postpone the operation till after the Eid festival.

It may be mentioned here that 95 per cent of toy shops are owned by Afghan refugees.

Inam Khan, a shopkeeper, said the operation against toy weapons should be postponed for the time being as they would suffer heavily in case the crackdown was launched right now.

Tajir Action Committee president Haji Abid said if the government was really sincere it should ban Pashto films which frequently showed gun battles and bloodied bodies.

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2015

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