Gun related violence is unacceptable: There has been a spate of school shooting and other gun related incidents in US, the most recent being in movie cinema in Aurora Colorado and a Sikh temple (Gurudwara) in Wisconsin. In the rest of the world, we hear of occasional such incidences; last major one that we can remember was in Denmark last year. In many countries, such a large number of gun violence is almost unheard of. Aurora shooting has left 12 dead and more than 50 injured, Wisconsin has left six dead and several injured. Gun related violence requires serious attention from all of us to do everything possible to prevent such killings of innocents in future. Prudence and common sense demands this as our duty to our children and society. 

Constitution, culture and US politics: Right to carry arm has its roots in the early gunpowder control incident of 1975. The independence movement from British soon inscribed it in populous psychology. Higher courts have always upheld the right of carrying arm for self-defense. The US was won over from the indigenous Indians by way of superior power of guns of early settlers, while Indians only had spears, bow and arrows. Then the westward movement of those settlers also required arms. Hence gun ownership is ingrained in American culture.

US history is witness to the fact that gun owning is a very sensitive issue. Politics and psychology has played it such that second amendment right to carry arm is almost taken to be a mandatory duty and not just a right. Supporters of carrying arms, like National Rifle Association (NRA) and Gun Owners Association of America (GOA), besides the manufacturers and vested interest lobbies have further created a hype of an invisible enemy. 

Need of today: Times have changed since independence of US. We do not have wars with our neighbors and Wild West is no wilder. We all must respect necessity of owning guns for self-defense and pleasure of hunting.  However, common sense tells us that these do not require automatic and semi-automatic weapons. Ownership of gun must be allowed but some common sense rules and laws must be enacted to avoid and prevent accidents and the guns going in the hands of criminals. There should be some rational control for its purchase and records with appropriate authority. Most of the old British Empire (now British Commonwealth countries) has such gun control laws, which works fine. They have minimal accidents with guns because they are simply not around as much as we have in US.

Some relevant statistics:  Some of these tell us the simple truth that it is simply larger number of guns around that creates many of our problems.

• US have about 5% of population of the world but have 50% of all the guns of the world.
• In US there are more than 80 guns per 100 citizens, as compared to less than 10 in most of the world. Even guns, are closely monitored by proper licensing and records with authorities in almost all countries.
• In US there are more than 11,000 homicide deaths per 100,000 populations as compared to around 100 in countries like UK, Japan, Australia and Canada. That means homicides are almost 1000 times more in US.
• The correlation of larger number of guns with big numbers of homicides and accidents is so obvious.
• One reason given for such incidents is that it tis the work of psychopaths and mentally ill people. However, US do not have any disproportionately higher number of such people than the rest of the world.
• The kind of arsenal that we find used in such accidents truly belongs to the soldiers in army and certainly not needed by civilians.

Other relevant facts: 

• Gun related crimes are much smaller in number in countries with good gun control laws
• Gun related accidents are almost unheard of in countries with gun control laws
• One can relate with the groups and people wanting to own guns in this violent world of recent days, but for such needs appropriate weapons for defensive use may be licensed and registered by authorities
• There is no reason that high powered and multi bullet magazines may be allowed beyond some reasonable number of shots in a magazine
• In US there are almost as many guns as the population and some of these are left easily accessible to children causing risk of accidents
• In countries like Switzerland, almost every adult has a gun, but they are all trained in militia and teach their children how to respect such lethal weapon and hence have only rare gun related accidents
• Abundance of gun availability has caused four of our US president’s lives in 11 assassination attempts

Conclusion: It is high time that we legislate some common sense laws about guns within the ambit of constitution instead of living in paranoid fantasy about some non-existent threats. Let us all work on it with our hearts and souls and stop ranting about the constitutional rights of owning arms, which is harming us more than doing good.

We must at least have some common sense laws enacted to ensure that such arsenal do not fall easily in the hands of criminals. Proper permitting procedure and registration of weapons will reduce such possibilities. Substantially. Multiple numbers of guns in majority of the households also poses a risk of accidental injuries to our children because they are not always secured well and children are not trained to respect these lethal “toys”.

We should at least define the following through legislation:

• What criteria should be used to allow the possession of guns?
• What is the largest caliber gun allowed to any civilian?
• What should be biggest magazine capacity for civilian use?
• What kind of arsenal can be owned by anyone?

If we did not define this, the present laws do not clearly tell who can buy and own even larger cannons and nuclear weapons. It is our duty to sort such an important matter in an amicable way and prevent potential risks to our society.

Why this question? So many people are asking this question lately. Such apocalyptic prophecies are told every so often by someone. They seem to misinterpret facts. This particular prophecy emanates from Mayan calendar. Mayan was a civilization in South America, extending from almost mid Mexico to the Southern tip, centered mainly on Guatemala.  It went extinct about 5000 years ago.

Mayans left behind an old calendar, which is based on short and long cycles. Present long cycle of the calendar ends on Dec 21, 2012. Because the cycle just ends there, those who believe in such unusual and inexplicable possibilities believe that the world with all its life will come to an end on that day.

Disappearance of Civilizations: It is true that many civilizations have disappeared suddenly in the past without leaving any clues, of which there are several examples in history. Those that immediately come to mind are civilization around Egyptian pyramids, Mayan culture, Easter islanders, Incan empire etc. The reasons postulated for their disappearance are several theories. Such reasons are, for example, natural disasters, tsunamis, plagues and small pox epidemic, giant polar eruption, reversal of global poles, super eruption of Yellowstone caldera in US, earth to be hit by a large planet sized Asteroids or Meteorites etc.

Role of cults in such stories: Different cults have spread such apocalyptic rumors ending in many deaths, usually by suicides and killings by their security personnel raising lot of questions. One of the infamous events of recent time is that of Jonestown in Guyana, when 909 deaths occurred due to cyanide poisoning. Yet another more recent is that in France when 94 members committed suicide belonging to the Order of Solar Temple. The French government’s Interministerial Mission for Monitoring and Combating Cultic Deviances delivered a mass-suicide warning last year and is vigilant on such rumors. Even NASA has added a page of FAQs on their site to dispel the worries of people about this.

My take on this rather logical and simple:

• I have heard more than a dozen such prophecies and none have come true.
• I think the Mayan calendar will have its one long cycle ending on Dec 21, 2012 and a new one will start the next day, just like we do change calendars at the end of any year.
• NASA says there is no planet or Meteorites that may cause such accident.
• The Yellowstone activity is of no worry at the moment.
• The solar activity cycle is not at its height
• If the civilization was to end radiation accident seems to be one possible way with the existing and increasing nuclear arsenals. This may be started by a mad man or a group of people creating a chain reaction of nuclear bombing all over the planet. Our information about radiation is scant; it is worth remembering that Mm Curie, who found radio-isotopes only about 100 years ago, herself died of radiation poisoning.
• History shows us many civilizations disappearing, which may happen once again, but that will be act of nature or God.
• If that happens, and that is a big IF, no one will be there to discuss who believed in it and who did not. So why worry about such things?

I received an article circulated by email from an old friend Mr. Majyd aziz, who has remained President of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industries, largest organization representing the business community in Pakistan. Without any doubt his views are the views of the business community of Pakistan, which makes up majority of population of Pakistan.

No sane person in this world can condone that two neighbors like India and Pakistan should ever live in a strained relationship, let alone wage several wars more in the past 60 years, not counting many other serious interlocution between the armies on several more occasions. Both countries are nuclear power and a misunderstanding or accident can cause havoc not only for these two countries but for the region and even for the world. Both countries and particularly Pakistan has been spending a substantial part of its GDP on the defense for past many decades because India is considered to be the enemy on the border, thus robbing the poor public of the possible infrastructure, education and health facilities, electricity and even potable water.

Everything that Majyd Aziz has said in the article that is reproduced below, not only stands to reason, I feel it is the deep desire of every common man in Pakistan right from the time of partition despite he fact that many people lost their assets and some lost lives of their loved ones. He has eluded very rightly that emotionally charged attitudes because of personal losses suffered by some people of influence in Pakistan and not being able to see the reason and adopt a logical approach has caused  failure of creating a peace. Kashmir dispute has also remained an ongoing reason for the acrimony between the two countries to increase.

Well, as we write this, thank God we are witnessing the distance between two countries seem to be narrowing. Pakistan has decided to reciprocate the most favored nation status to India. This will help both countries and their citizenry. If anything, the implementation of these moves should be hastened to bring about peace and tranquility to both countries, region and the world. Let us hope that the ever present issue of Kashmir also gets resolved in this friendly atmosphere.

Here is the article of Mr. Majyd Aziz:

Lessons from Indian Army for Indo-Pak Businessmen

 By: Majyd Aziz

Former President Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry

I was attending a meeting as part of the 80-member Pakistan Business Delegation led by Pakistan’s Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim in September 2011. During the visit I noticed strategically placed billboards by the Indian Army. Each billboard had one of the three touching and significant slogan as it depicted the vision of the Indian Army.

I wrote down these motivating slogans. I realized that though these slogans were about Indian Army, they were remarkably applicable to businessmen of India and Pakistan both, especially with the prevalent “feel good” environment.

Their first slogan is “Empower your dreams”. For so many decades, the Indo-Pak businessmen, as well as their business organizations, have been demanding the normalization of bilateral trade regime and increase in trade and, hopefully, in investment. The desire has always been unhindered movement of businessmen across the border as well as longer duration, multiple visas without any limitations and restrictions. They want to see the day when there would be substantial bilateral trade ensuing very soon into a favorable and mutually beneficial Free Trade Agreement. This has been the vision for many years and now the time has come for a formidable and sincere campaign to achieve this objective. The visit of the Pakistan Business Delegation in September and the expected 200-members Indian Business Delegation led by Indian Commerce Minister Shri Anand Sharma in February of 2012 would surely be the way in which the dreams would really be empowered.

The second slogan is “They march with melodious precision”. Businessmen and industrialists on both sides of Pakistan’s eastern borders have been on the same page and not only have the yearning to undertake extensive bilateral trade but are passionate about their patriotism and their demand for joint ventures, technical transfers, and a common approach to trading with third countries. They have unanimity of views and are willing to support each other on an individual level and even at international forums. This is imperative as the time has come for them to accept that lot of water has flowed under the bridge while the hardliners and negative forces in both the countries have created a state of despondency, misery, and hatred for far too long. That is one reason why it is important for entrepreneurs as well as workers and employees that the anti-business forces must be silenced and sidelined and that the advancement on the avenue of prosperity, progress and peace is largely dependent if they make headway with their own mind-set of trust, purpose, and strength. This would then truly be a harmonious march.

The third slogan is “Poised for victory”. Fifteen years after India granted Most Favored Nation status to Pakistan, a decision has been taken in Islamabad to reciprocate. Thirty five years passed by before any Pakistani Commerce Minister took a trip to New Delhi. After initially erecting unnecessary roadblocks at WTO against the GSP+ incentives for 75 textile items announced by European Union to assist Pakistan, the Indian government unilaterally decided not only to withdraw objections but also to support Pakistan’s case. Recently, India wholeheartedly assisted Pakistan at the United Nations enabling Pakistan to obtain the mandatory two-third votes essential for becoming member of the Security Council. Inspite of its own infrastructure shortages, India proposed to sell 500 mw of electricity to meet shortages this side of the border. Moreover, Premier Dr Manmohan Singh categorically assured Pakistan’s Commerce Minister that India would honor the Indus Water Treaty. India also is spending billions to upgrade the infrastructure at the Wagah border and this would result in the movement of over 1000 trucks every day.

Pakistan too has moved forward. The frequent meetings of the two Prime Ministers at the sidelines of high profile global forums has thawed the ice and enabled the Ministers and officials to make positive moves for the better. Recently, when an Indian Air Force helicopter entered Pakistan’s territory, the military did not take action but honorably allowed them to return to their base in India. Pakistan needs cheaper oil and favorably priced raw material for domestic industries. Pakistan also requires comparably priced machinery for upgrading its local industries. All these are possible from India. Pakistan understands that India and China have done wonders in bilateral trade and are expected to cross $ 100 billion by 2013 and that the possibility of Pakistan taking advantage of trilateral trade and investment is apparent. Pakistan knows that in the global trade scenario, stagnation and isolation are not prudent because the water is rising and it has to be plugged otherwise there would be the threat of drowning in the global deluge. Thus the only way to plug it is to think global and trade openly.

Yes, businessmen of India and Pakistan must pay heed to the messages on the billboards in the cantonment area of New Delhi. The messages are loud and clear. There is no turning back. At the same time, governments of both the countries must shed their paranoia, at least with regards to facilitation of bilateral trade and investment. India must recognize that a stable Pakistan is also in her own interest. India must also take the lead in accepting that billions spent on defense and security matters means that millions of human beings are kept in perpetual poverty, suffering, and deprivation. Jobs and quality of life should be the paramount priority. And, for the Indian Army, a short and sweet advice, with truly a sincere hope. The next time I am in New Delhi, the third slogan would have been amended from “poised for victory” to “poised for peace” because the two business communities would, by that time, have ensured that for sure.

MAJYD AZIZ November 09, 2011

MHG GROUP OF COMPANIES

D/49, SITE, KARACHI-75700

Cell: (92-300) 826-1969 

Email:  majydaziz@gmail.com