KARACHI: Speakers at a seminar called for deweaponising Karachi, saying no fruitful results could be obtained unless smuggling of arms was halted and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) made efficient.These views were expressed at the launching ceremony of the campaign for peace in Karachi by National Organisation for Working (NOW) communities at the Karachi Press Club here on Thursday.They said the change could be brought by educating people. First of all, there is a need to free educational institutions from weapons culture. The responsibility lies with the LEAs to play their due role in deweaponizing the city, the said.Former federal information minister Javeed Jabbar said we have to focus on traditional and non-traditional education because non-traditional education including media is promoting violence.There is a need of reforms in law enforcement to make them efficient for deweaponizing society, he said. He was of the view that the change would come from top. How could the public representatives provide security to people if they cannot move without security.
Former Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Majeed Aziz said the law and order situation deteriorated during two decades in the country. He questioned that how could the city be made free of weapons where illegal electricity connection could not be abolished. He said due to poor law and order situation in the city, approximately 150 families of businessmen have left for foreign countries.Former Pakistan Medical Association general secretary Dr Samreena Hashmi said merely deweaponisation would not bring desired result unless provision of justice is ensured.She said if authorities fail to provide justice to the people then they take to arms.Aman Tehreek Advocate Shahab Khatak said schools and colleges should be deweaponised first as it is ruining the educational environment. There is need to check who brought weapons into the city, he said, adding, no progress could be made in this regard unless smuggling was curbed.He maintained that a large number of arms had been spread in the country during Afghan war while the then rulers played a role of silent spectators due to their vested interests.If we want peace in true sense we need to revise our political will and avoid what happened during the Afghan war – Dailytimes
