Why do Pakistanis buy firearms?
Middle class Pakistanis in scores are now procuring guns and
other arms to protect themselves, as a surge in Islamist violence has led to
fears that the country may be headed for a wave of violent kidnappings,
extortions and other crimes.
Registrations of guns and rifles have recorded a new high, Wall Street Journal
reported quoting officials who attributed this trend to rising sense of
anxiety, fear and insecurity among the people, who now seeks arms for
protection.
This has come in vogue among the middle-class people who foresee a wave of
violent kidnappings and robberies that will target those who look like they
might have money. These fears have been generated as over the past year,
The recent terror strikes in Mumbai, allegedly carried out by 10 Pakistani
militants trained here, has further frayed the nerves of the people here.
"The spreading Islamist insurgency in the country has led to a wave of
insecurity, and people doubt the ability of the new civilian government to
safeguard them," paper said. "People buy weapons because they're
insecure," a senior interior ministry official told the paper. "No
need denying it."
The 11,758 murders recorded in the first 11 months of 2008 were the highest in
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