Aerial Firing - A Menace

Zafar Ali Usafzai

Publishing Date: Tuesday, August 23 2005

"Life is a narrow vale between the cold and barren peaks of two eternities. We strive in vain to look beyond the heights. We cry aloud-and the only answer is the echo of our wailing cry. From the voiceless lips of the unreplying dead there comes no word. But in the night of Death, Hope sees a star." --------- Robert Green Ingersoll (1833-1899)

Life is a precious gift of GOD to us, about which we will be asked for. HE has given a set code of life to us, according to which we are to live our lives. At the same time HE has also given us certain liberty to lead our lives using our mind and sense. It is know up to us now that how we spend our lives here in this world. Whether we care for His followers or not.

NWFP, being an abode of a warrior Pakhtun nation, is not only famous for the bravery and honor of its people but is also famous for various traditions and norms prevailing in its society. They honor these cultural values and are ready to cross any limits when it comes to the matter of such norms. For this, even they do not hesitate to break the writ of prevailing law at the cost of these cultural values. That is why there are so many traditions and norms in the Pakhtun society, which are not in resemblance to the present day world where much social awareness has been emerged. "Aerial Firing on Festive Occasions" is also among one of these customs and the need for its stoppage is severely felt.

Aerial Firing is not a new phenomenon of the present day. It has been continued over decades that mostly affluent people resort to aerial firing on the celebratory occasions mostly of marriages, Male Childbirths and at their circumcision's occasions. Besides this, the aerial firing was also practiced for impressing others by demonstrations of their wealth and power. But it was for the last few years, that a growing trend of aerial firing on the Chand Raat had been emerged. Majority of the people resorted to this wild and irresponsible habit, the ultimate result of which was a colossal damage to innocent citizens whose Eid jubilations got changed with grief and sorrow. Aerial firing on Chand Raat had desolated many jolly families, have made wives widows and children orphans, which is a state of sorrow and anxiety for all of us. The slightest carelessness on the part of merrymakers had resulted in disastrous consequences in the past.

The stories of aerial firing are the order of the day. It was some months back in Razar village of District Charsadda where by a house wife fell pray to an aerial firing, which was resorted in the joy of win of Pakistan cricket team over India at Egisten. Similarly, a Bank Manager also lost his life after sustaining a stray bullet in his head in Phase II of HayatAbad, Peshawar while sitting in the courtyard of his home.

These awesome stories do not end here. An innocent baby, Ali Syed became victim of stray bullet one week before the Eid in Bikat Gunj area of Mardan while playing with other children in the street outside his house.

Many such stories are scattered all around the NWFP, as the practice of aerial firing on the festive occasions has almost become a tradition. Such fatalities occur on almost daily basis in the province where guns are considered an ornament of Pakhtun or even an integral part of his daily life. Secondly, large-scale availability of weapons and ammunitions because of the Afghan War has also attributed a lot in the development of "Kalashankov Culture".

The growing trend of aerial firing on the festive occasions was not only a menace for general public but was also a source of great fear for the authorities of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) who used to advise the general public to avoid aerial firing from time to time, specially in the vicinity of the Airport. The authorities had to caution people that any stray bullet can cause damage not only to aircraft, but can also endanger the pilot's life. They also warned about the uncountable loss of innocent lives in the possible catastrophe in case the aircraft crashes on a populated area.

This tradition of aerial firing in almost all over the NWFP speaks a lot of the society in which we are living, where social values are bypassed, where cultural traditions are vanishing away gradually, where Human Beings are judged on the basis of power and wealth except than that of benevolence /civility and affability.

Those involved in Aerial Firing are the enemies of the society whose crime is worthy of stern punishment not only socially and mannerly but also religiously. The grief of the death of those falling pray to aerial firing can only be felt by those families who had lost their precious chattels of life for no fault of theirs.

Social Crime:

Aerial crime is rightly termed as a "Social Crime" because the individuals of almost every walk of life in the society comprise the stakeholders of this crime. As there is no knowledge of where the stray bullets will fall or hit anyone, therefore almost every member of the society is vulnerable to death by a stray bullet. It has been noticed in the past that besides injuring the pedestrians, children and housewives, the ugly practice has also caused death and injuries on scores of passersby for no fault of theirs.

The marry-making youth, involved in this heinous crime, seems to have never bothered of thinking about the bullets, which may ultimately fall or hit any individual. Perhaps it appears in their thoughts that these bullets will mingle in the air forever. Secondly on many festive occasions, only few people resort to aerial firing while majority of people enjoys the scene as a silent spectator. They do not bother to stop them from doing so, thus they also get equally involved in the crime because of their senselessness. The aerial firing of just few moments of joy claims the death of many valuable lives. For the joy of few moments taking a human life seems justice of nowhere. As compared to the other civilized nations, the aerial firing is nowhere practiced in the world. Because of this evil act, many families suffer every year.

As aerial firing is responsible for taking away precious human lives, therefore, it must be avoided. It becomes our social responsibility to refrain from this social crime and also stop others from doing so in our individual and collective capacities. Only the joint efforts can help in rooting out this curse from the society.

An Un-Islamic Act:

Although we all feel pride of being a Muslim and of following a religion, which teaches for an adoption of moderation in every walk of life, but it is a state of great sorrow for us for not following its teachings. Islam gives us the lessons of the rights of other fellows and for taking care of their needs but we being a Muslim forget all our religious teachings on the occasions of both joy and anger. But is least cared for especially at celebratory occasions.

Aerial firing is also termed un-Islamic in the wake that Islam teaches for the respect of humanity. It is there in the Surah Mayidah (5-32) of the Holy Quran that "one who killed a human being for no fault of him, it is like that he had killed all the Humanity." Those falling pray to aerial firing are almost innocent, with no faults of theirs. Therefore this death by stray bullet is like murdering all the Humanity.

Secondly Islam also not only prohibits wastage of money but also orders its use in some gainful activity. Contrarily, aerial firing is not only wastage of wealth but is also a game of playing with the lives of innocent people.

Thirdly Islam also stops its followers from show off and aerial firing is nothing but a demonstration of ones wealth and power. Again it is Islam, which gives us the lesson of Huqooq-ul-Ibad (rights of other fellow beings). Thus, if we are not able to give joys to others then at least we also should not snatch their happiness. As a nation it is a matter of distress for us that we get involved in our happiness so much with out caring for the happiness of others. People resorting to aerial firing on festive occasion such as Eid often deprive others from their joys.

In one such incident, last year, when the city came alive by the aerial firing on the eve of the Eidul Fitar, an 18 year old Shazia was hit by an stray bullet in her head when she just ended her Aitekaf (a 10-days long prayers session in the last ten days of the holy month of Ramadan) and came out of her room in her house in the Mathra area of Peshawar and died on the spot. This speaks a lot about the deprivation of an innocent family from the joys of Eid and setting them to mourn the death or injuries of their dear and near ones. These incidents were bringing disgrace for the society as a whole which speaks a lot about our non-consistent social responsibility, our moral standards and our weak laws.

Aerial Firing and Law:

Aerial firing is not only an unpleasant practice but is also a lawful crime. In the past the police, who is responsible for checking such hazardous practices, appeared unmoved in taking any action against those resorting to aerial firing. As no action was forthcoming, the hated act mostly went unabated. Under present law the punishment for the one accused with aerial firing is very minimal that is why the control of this menace seems to be somewhat difficult. Presently those involved in Aerial firing are booked under "3/4 Aerial Firing Act" where by the violators can be fined up to Rs.40 to 50 only. Secondly, although police registers FIRs against "unknown killers" in the aerial firing cases but have never booked anyone because of the benefit of anonymity of the accused.

Awareness About Aerial Firing:

For the sake of a few moments of joy and happiness, aerial firing has caused the deaths of several people and left several others disabled in the past.

Previously aerial firing on celebratory occasions had not only created law and order situation for administration but has also caused a sense of great fear because of the fact that any stray bullet can hit anyone and at any time. This vulnerability to possible death posed a great challenge to government machinery, media, NGOs and other Human Rights groups regarding creation of awareness in the general masses. Although our media has contributed a lot in creation of awareness against this worst kind of social crime But still there are scores of cases of aerial firing casualties, which remain unreported.

A case in point, which invited an attention of the press, is the tragic death of Dr Shawana Attique on January 13 last year. Shawana, a 25 year old and fresh graduate of Khyber Medical College, fell prey to the ugly tradition of aerial firing in Cantonment area of Peshawar. She had gone there with her mother for shopping. As their shopping ended, they were waiting for their driver in the car parking area when suddenly she received a stray bullet in her head. Although she was rushed to Cantonment Hospital and then to the Lady Reading Hospital but breathed her last after struggling for life for more than two days.

Becoming a victim of an ugly custom of the society, which deprived a Masiha at the start of her professional career, was indeed a state of great sorrow for all of us. Thus, a severe need was felt for an awareness campaign against this worst evil. Following her death, a campaign was launched in Peshawar by the city government against the aerial firing in collaboration with an NGO named CAMP (Community Appraisal & Motivational Program). Where by pamphlets and handbills were distributed among masses. Besides announcing a complete ban on aerial firing, a walk was also led by the City Nazim, the Class fellows of Dr, Shawana and people from other walks of life in the awareness campaign.

Although the ban was welcomed initially, but aerial firing again got momentum after some time. The police also terribly failed to honour the implementation of ban on aerial firing.

Thus again a dire need was felt for an awareness campaign to educate the masses and strictly implement the existing laws to end the ghastly menace and discouraging the customary practice, which had earned a bad name for our society.

Community Involvement:

The complete curbing of social evils lies in the involvement of all the stakeholders of the society. It merits to mention here that completely banning of aerial firing became possible in village Ghundo/Shamozai of District Mardan only through community involvement. Where some years back in 1990s, the menace of aerial firing got deep-rooted and was practiced at almost every marriage and other festive occasion. But the formation of an "ISLAHI COMMITTEE" comprising of the elites of the village, was never less than any blessings regarding banning aerial firing. The committee members first visited each and every villager and convinced them to stop firing in air in marriages and other festive occasions. Then it announced a fine of huge amount to be collected from the family in whose program, the crime was committed. This resulted in a way that not only the menace was curbed in Ghundo/Shamozai village but also the same village members tried to stop aerial firing while attending festive occasions at other villages. The example of the afore-mentioned village speaks a lot about the community involvement in curbing social evils.

As aerial firing is a social menace so its stoppage was impossible with out the involvement of community. Sensing the fact that the complete curbing of social evils lies in the involvement of all the stakeholders of the society, a comprehensive strategy regarding the stoppage of aerial firing, was the need of the hour. That is why realizing the severity of situation, the Provincial Government decided to launch an awareness campaign against the ugly practice of aerial firing this year with much emphasis on greater community involvement in order to curb this social menace.

For this purpose, almost all the government machinery and law enforcing agencies especially police were mobilized. The government warned of a swift action on occurrence of any incident of festive firing this year and determined not to show any leniency in this regard to anyone irrespective of his influence or status. Also the Provincial Information Department published advertisement in local dailies for awareness against this ugly practice.

The Peshawar City Police evolved an effective strategy to strictly deal with the elements involved in the ugly practice of celebratory firing in the interest of protection of lives of the citizens on the occasion of Chand Raat and started an "Awareness Campaign against Aerial Firing" in the last ten days of the holy month of Ramadan. According to which handbills and pamphlets, containing the harmfulness of Aerial Firing and its preventive measures, were distributed in general public. Banners that carried massages for discouraging aerial firing on the night of Eidul Fitar, were also displayed at prominent places in order to create awareness against this menace. All the SHOs of the police stations were ordered to make sure the curbing of aerial firing on the Chand Raat. They were also warned of stern action in case any incident of aerial firing occurred in their jurisdiction.

As per the Pakhtun culture, where by all the problems are solved through Jirgas and Hujras, Police also arranged public jirgas at various union councils in city and rural areas of Peshawar district in which appeals were made to public to cooperate with police in this drive. The elders and the elected representatives, in these meetings and jirgas, not only appreciated the efforts of police for taking people in to confidence but also assured their full support to the police in stopping public from aerial firing and thus avoiding large-scale casualties on a happy occasion. The police also appealed to religious scholars to stress the issue during their Friday sermons to combat this menace.

In order to take quick action against the violators, police also deployed special anti-aerial firing squads all over the district on the Eve of Eidul Fitar. Mobile squads were constituted in all the police stations for this purpose, which were ordered to take immediate action against those engaged in aerial firing or disturbing law and order.Special teams undertook patrolling from 5 Pm to 11 Pm on Chand Raat.

With the greater involvement of community in the drive against aerial firing, at last the government became able to stop the menace on the eve of Eidul Fitar.

In this drive, Ulema created mass awareness against fatal social effects on festive firing in their Juma Khutbas on Friday.
The public representatives including MPAs, Nazims and councillors also extended full support to the law-enforcement agencies for effective check on celebratory firing. They urged the people not only to avoid the practice but also stop others from doing so.
The elders of respective villages fully assured the police authorities to do their best to bring a complete end to the menace on the night of Eidul Fitar. The elites come forward to apprise the people of the drawbacks of this bad custom and succeeded in convincing them not to practice the ugly tradition to avoid casualties on the happy occasion.
The business community also played their due role for the social cause by constituting committees at their bazaar levels to convince the youth to avoid committing the social evil of celebratory firing. They also approached arms dealers to obey rules and restrictions of the law-enforcement agencies in this respect.

This success story of campaign against aerial firing has become a hallmark for community involvement in order to eliminate other social evils. Curbing aerial firing shows that the ulema, religious scholars, community elders, civil society organizations and the government functionaries must come forward and join hands in order to purge the society of other social ills also.