Perhaps there is a certain latent symbolism (and anxiety) in this decision of the NWFP Chief Minister, Ameer Haidar Khan Hoti, who has directed that 30,000 rifles should be distributed among the "patriotic people" and "peace loving groups" so that these people can then guard their respective villages and help the police in combating terrorism. It is pertinent to read this in conjunction with the overall gray picture that emerges of the province.
Whether this kind of measure could be taken in the other provinces also, as well as in Islamabad (?) is a thought that does race through the mind. There were many dimensions to this decision of the NWFP Chief Minister which were being focused upon on Monday evening in sunset show over an FM radio channel.
In a way it was surprising that even a FM radio channel was looking at this theme, with a degree of concern, and curiosity. Which makes it compelling to mention the growing seriousness that some of the FM channels have begun to reflect on matters of local and national issues.
And often the depth and the perspective is gripping am rather surprised at this and as well as the fact that the print media or even the Television channels have not taken due notice of this side of the radio story in Pakistan. It is often, not just music that FM channels are about, I feel.
Thirty thousand rifles for self-defence. Has this kind of a decision ever been taken in the past in the country? One needs to be enlightened on this. Was this done in former East Pakistan? This decision is a sharp contrast to the campaigns for deweaponisation that we have seen or heard of in the country. Or even in Karachi, which is where I reside.
The details about Hoti's decision indicate that "officials will consult local police station house officers (SHOs) and seek approval from the district co-ordination officers (DCOs) before handing out the arms." And what is more the concerned authorities have decided that if those who are given these rifles are found not using them against "terrorists and trouble makers" the weapons will be duly returned.
So the emphasis is on the use of the weapons and for the assigned purposes. That FM Radio presenter sounded light-hearted when he wondered whether these rifles could be misused, for example, for hunting birds...and so on.
This is no light-hearted issue obviously. I am worried that we have reached a stage when it has been decided that there will be formed these village defence committees in one part of the country. It is, in a way, an attempt to make the people take up officially authorised arms and stand by the law enforcement agencies.
Keep in mind that the US drone attacks are also against the terrorists and trouble-makers. Keep in mind that there is a major peace effort in Swat and a 10-day truce ends today (Wednesday 25th February) Options for a permanent truce are also being talked about if Sharia law is implemented, is what a spokesman for the Taliban has indicated earlier this week.
Though in passing, it is imperative to note that the Taliban "abducted and later released the new district co-ordination officer in Swat (Khushal Khan) and his six body guards to secure the release of their three aides on Sunday", said AFP. Two of the three aides were released by the government right away, and a third was scheduled to be freed later.
The NWFP chief minister's office issued a press statement on Sunday about the 30,000 rifles to be distributed and it said that officials were ordered to "take proper guarantees from people" who should be directed explicitly that these would be used against "miscreants and anti-state elements."
The Director General Inter services Public Relations Major General Athar Abbas was quoted as having told the Associated Press that the army had not been consulted about arming village militias. And Interior ministry spokesman Shahidullah Baig was also unaware of the plan.
A news report also says that village militias like these were created in Iraq also, with the support of the United States and a similar step has been taken in Afghanistan. What does this mean?
One would like to believe that there will be in the days ahead, more details available of how these 30,000 rifles will be distributed, and what will be the criteria on which an individual will be selected. Can the rifle be used by someone in the same family in a crisis context? And in which cities, towns and teshils? And what will be the procedure or system for monitoring the use or otherwise of these weapons? And what about the ammunition quotas? So many questions do trouble the mind.
One hopes that answers will come sooner than later. The quality of our governance and the abuse of even official vehicles and facilities is something that we as a people are familiar with. And equally familiar is the deplorable fact that accountability and transparency are still distant goals.
Finally, two news reports about Sindh seem relevant here. The first says that "State of police training dismal" and the second says that "Nearly 3000 arms licences issued in two months" and that Karachi tops Sindh districts.
The two months when these arms were issued were from March 1, last year and 30 April last year. This information was disclosed by Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza in the question hour in the Sindh Assembly earlier this month. As many as 1415 arms licenses were issued in this city. Larkana was second with 160.
These two months was the transition period between the caretaker Mohammed Mian's government and the time when Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's government took charge on 25 March 2008.
Of police training in Sindh, it has been reported a by a national daily that "the quality of police training in Sindh has deteriorated over the years to such an extent that the entire exercise has been rendered a mere formality, from which officers generally shy away, it has emerged."
From all this it has also emerged that the citizen in this country has to be seriously contemplating the issues of his personal security and insecurity. And that of his family obviously I understand the road barriers that so many streets have even in the posh residential areas. nusratnasarullah0@gmail.com