KARACHI: Karachi police on Saturday launched a crackdown against the sale of toy guns.
Police carried out raids in Bolton Market and Chakiwara and seized thousands of toy guns, said City SSP Adeel Hussain Chandio.
The senior officer added that around 22 shopkeepers and traders of toy guns have been arrested.
SSP Chandio pointed out that police have received reports that such toy guns were being used by street criminals to carry out crimes.
Besides, with Eidul Fitr approaching, the sale of toy guns tend to increase manifold and mostly children buy and play with them, which sometimes leads to their eyes getting hurt accidentally. Thus, toy guns have become a public nuisance, Chandio said.
He said cases have been registered against the held suspects under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Pakistan Penal Code on behalf of the State.
The crackdown was launched in the light of Sindh home department’s Friday’s notification of banning the sale of toy guns for two months.
The request for the ban was sent by Karachi Commissioner Ejaz Ahmed Khan, who said toy guns were being used by robbers in street crime. Moreover, the object is a bad influence on children.
The ban has been imposed under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
The letter was written by the Karachi commissioner to the Sindh government that forwarded the request to the home department.
In 2015, the Sindh Assembly passed a resolution that banned the manufacturing and sale of toy guns. The resolution was presented by Muttahida Qaumi Movement MPA Saifuddin Khalid and was supported by all the members of the house.
