LAHORE: The Punjab police have decided in principle to send recommendations to the federal and provincial governments for placing a complete ban on the ‘dangerous’ popular online game PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG).
The decision to send the recommendations was taken in view of the tragic incident that took place in Kahna last week in which a teenage boy, addicted to PUBG, allegedly shot dead his own mother along with three siblings, said a spokesperson on Friday.
“Due to video games like PUBG, several incidents of firing have come to the light and that is why the police department has decided to seek help from the government for banning of the PUBG,” the spokesperson said, adding that the ban will help the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in curtailing the rising trend of firing and incitement to violence besides protecting the young generation from “harmful” effects of such games.
Terming PUBG “very dangerous” for the mental development of the youth as the players have to get themselves involved into violent activities to complete the task(s), he requested parents to monitor activities of their children and prevent them from engaging in any negative activity.
He said that during preliminary investigation of the case in question, police came to known that 18-year-old suspect Ali Zain was an addict to PUBG game and used to live in complete isolation in his room. “On the day of the incident, he went to Jaranwala for his mother’s funeral, but did not return,” he said, adding that Zain’s real aunt was refusing to present his nephew and he was hiding in a village near Faisalabad.
Sharing findings of the investigators, the spokesperson said that the alleged killer got interested in PUBG game through students living in an educational hostel and he started living an imaginary dual life. Under the influence of this game, Zain allegedly shot dead his mother, who was a lady health worker by profession, two sisters and one elder brother, he added.
“Repeated defeats in the game increased my stress and I fired shots thinking that everyone will come back to life like (happens) in the game,” the spokesperson quoted the suspect as telling the investigators. He said that after committing the familicide, Zain came out of the house through the roof and hid the pistol and fell asleep in his mother maternity labour room.
He further said that the case was being probed from all aspects and they would ensure that the accused gets severe punishment from the court of law. In 2020, former Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Zulfiqar Hameed had also requested then Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Shoaib Dastgir for placing a complete ban on PUBG after a 16-year-old boy allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from a ceiling fan when he “missed his mission”.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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