IN this age of advanced technology where violent forms of entertainment thrive on the screen and in the cyberspace, parenting has become a challenging task, as children want to emulate what they see.

It is common for parents to buy toy guns for their children on birthdays or special occasions. Around Eid time, the sale of such toys increases. It is important to note that such toys are usually designed just like actual weapons and thus can be dangerous for having a negative impact on the mind of a child.

There are studies that have linked aggressive and violent behaviour among children to toy guns. The purchase of such toys is a serious issue and poses a threat to the sense of social peace. The sale and purchase of these toy guns is observed across the country, particularly in rural areas. It has also been seen that toy guns are being used by criminals in street crimes.

Children’s fascination with toy guns in Pakistan has increased significantly. On the first day of Eid, I felt bad watching children play with toy guns in the streets. I fear they would grow up as violent citizens. In today’s society, it is hard to protect a child from scenes of violence, whether they are on the media, in video games or in society itself.

We need to make thoughtful decisions about what we are putting in our children’s hands. A few moments of fun cannot justify a negative lifelong impact. Toy guns are designed to look just like real weapons. They not only let children know how to operate that particular weapon, but also promote aggressive behaviour in them. Such toys are sold and purchased all year long, especially during Eid. I wonder why we allow such practices to continue.

Besides, the ‘ammunition’, usually plastic pellets, used in such guns is dangerous as sometimes children playing with these toys hurt each other in the eyes. Being a responsible citizen one should condemn the practice of letting children play with toy guns. This should be discouraged on moral grounds because it creates public nuisance.

The government should take this issue seriously and take measures so that such toys may not be sold to children.

Ahsanullah Mengal
Hub

Published in Dawn, May 8th, 2022