The nuisance of aerial firing and ruthless use of firecrackers on festive occasions has become common in Karachi despite the recent ban imposed on this evil by the provincial police. The impunity with which this prohibition is being flouted makes mockery of the ban.
Outside marriage halls where this kind of riotous merriment is rampant grown up people, including women, take all possible risk to show their feign bravery and a carefree attitude towards such trifles as if it were routine of their day to day life. A bullet is nothing more than a piece of chocolate for them. It tastes good and goes well with jovial occasions, they think.
Even children accompanying their parents at wedding ceremonies, usually in large numbers, are at times seen carrying airguns and toy pistols hanging on their hips as part of their ceremonial outfits. They gather around their elders to see them fire in the air or explode a firecracker. It is grooming and training time for them. Women use firearms occasionally but frequently initiate fireworks.
In aerial firing live cartridges are used. Firing in quick succession is the art they exhibit at the arrival of marriage party or at the time of its departure. On both these occasions the firing announces "here we are" and at the departure, "hell with you parents and guests of the bride - we depart". The gesture is brute and indicative of a primitive culture that still lives and survives in the criminal belt of Pakistan where marriage after abducting a woman is an act of bravery. There are societies that even go to the extent of establishing bravery of their members by driving them to rob a person or steal someone's livestock. Such a brotherhood exists in Mochiwala. Mochiwala is a small union council at the Jhang-Faisalabad Road, in District Jhang, where one is expected to be a thief to be eligible for marriage. Lal Khan, a prominent lawyer and an activist of now defunct Awami National Party and resident of Mochiwala, once said he had to face problems in his marriage proposal as he had never stolen even a rooster. He hated this activity and resisted throughout his youth this immoral custom of his people. But circumstances compelled him and friends helped him in stealing a nanny goat to qualify him for marriage within his own clan. One wonders when the karachites, who have forgotten their traditions of decency, etiquette and social grace, would return to their values. One can only hope that they come back to their original as soon as possible.
The careless aerial firing has never been without taking its toll. The newspapers carry reports pertaining to accidents due to firing reminding people their responsibilities but in vain. There were instant deaths and joyful marriage parties turned into sorrowful occasions. Many homes that were to be built demolished before their foundation could be laid and many families that had slightest idea of an impending misfortune found their ill luck struck them unaware.
Though there is no data on such accidental deaths on the occasion of marriage parties but even if there is one incident in a year it is enough to tell about inattentiveness of the marriage hall owners and the indifferent attitude of the police towards these unlawful activities. Both are to blame for the violation of rules. The marriage hall owners do not want to lose their clients by asking them to comply with the instructions of the provincial police with regard to use of firearms and firecrackers - and the police, their bhatta (extortion money) from the hall owners.
Police Mobile vans are a common sight outside marriage halls. These mobile vans used to provide protection to these halls serving food at marriage parties when catering was unlawful. The police had no respect for the law at that time. It has no respect today.
In the presence of police unscrupulous people resort to jubilant but wild aerial firing and crazy firework at mid-night when people in the nearby houses are either in their beds or students are preparing for their examinations. This is the time when many professionals such as journalists work on their articles; lawyers prepare their briefs for the next morning and doctors study reports of their patients listed on the emergency operation lists.
Many people suffering from ill health and infirmity, that old age brings, continue to remain under anxiety and tension as long as these marriage parties continue to indulge into the vulgarities of the most despicable and lowly human conduct that men can thrust upon other men. How to deal with these holy terrors who have come into being due to gross indifference of the police. Upstart families are more prone to this evil. They have the money and the means to protect themselves from the process of law.