Schools in Pakistan urge govt to ban toy guns, cites increasing violence

In a letter sent to the government on Friday, APPSF president Kashif Mirza said toy guns were also encouraging criminal activities amongst children in Pakistan.

Published on: May 7, 2022, 13:12:21 IST

By HT News Desk

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

A federation of private schools in Pakistan has written to the Shehbaz Sharif government urging it to impose a strict ban on the sale of artificial weapons, including toy guns, in the country, news agency ANI said Saturday citing local media. According to the report, the All Pakistan Private School Federation, a group of registered organisations for private education institutions, claimed that playing with toy guns leads to 'psychological repercussions' in children.

In a letter sent to the government on Friday, APPSF president Kashif Mirza said toy guns were also encouraging criminal activities amongst children in Pakistan.

Mirza attributed the increase in violence in Pakistan to youngsters playing with toy weapons.

In 2017 the former Karachi commissioner had also written to the Sindh home department to prohibit the sale of toy guns. According to him, these artificial weapons were being used by street criminals and negatively impacting children's minds. In 2015 the Sindh Assembly had passed a resolution banning the manufacture and sale of artificial weapons.

In 2014, six Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists stormed inside an Army Public School in Peshawar and killed more than 140, including over 130 students and school staff. The incident remains one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in the history of Pakistan.

In the aftermath of the incident, toy guns were banned in the cities of Peshawar and Kohat in Pakistan's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to discourage the growing trend of arms and violence among the children.

In April this year, three Chinese teachers were killed in a suicide attack in Karachi university. Shaari Baloch alias Bramsh, a 30-year old female suicide bomber, detonated herself near the university campus.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
HT News Desk
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.Read More

Get the latest World News, breaking headlines and global updates from the US, UK, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Russia and other countries. Follow major international events on Hindustan Times.