Proliferation of Tiny Arms and Light Weapons in Pakistan

The Post Second World War period has witnessed an unprecedented proliferation of lethal and non-lethal weapons.

In recent years, there has been a growing tendency within the activist and scholarly communities to treat major conventional weapons and small arms as well as light weapons as distinct areas of policy formulation and study. An estimate of the global value of small arms production in 2002 is $7.4 billion. Well over 1,000 companies manufacture light weapons and ammunition in nearly hundred countries.

The main focus with respect to illegal weapons proliferation in Pakistan remains in the unorganized private enterprise at Darra and Landi Kotal; where the arms trade continues without any state hindrance. It is witnessed that the rising sense of apathy and social injustice has strengthened the appeal of small arms and light weapons.

The principal source of weapons proliferation and supply to arms of regional and domestic conflict, the unorganized sector, has a minimal manufacturing capacity of a hundred weapons per day. In many cases, access to light weapons has facilitated or intensified conflicts, often by emboldening the protagonists.

With respect to the scope of the term ‘illicit trade', one should consider the illicit manufacture, acquisition, possession, use, and storage of small arms and light weapons, since these are closely linked to transfers of such weapons. The illicit trade in small arms and light weapons is closely related to the excessive and destabilizing accumulation and transfer of such arms and should, therefore, not be limited to criminal breaches of existing arms legislation and export/import controls, but consideration should be to all relevant factors. With regard to the manufacture, production, and sale of light weapons, we can divide the domestic producers of SA/LW in Pakistan into three broad categories:

1.; The state-owned or public sector enterprise

2.; Private manufacturers(operating under state license and regulation)

The variety of weapons manufactured in these factories includes Heckler and Koch MP-5, G-3, A-3, MPSA-2 guns, Anti-tank light weapons, ammunition and anti-personnel land mines. Although very stringent regulations are in place on the production and scale of weapons to state actors alone, there are reported incidents where weapons seized from low-intensity zones could be traced back to the POF.

Private Manufacturers: Second in line are the private manufacturers who operate and produce certain non-prohibited bore weapons under license.

The Darra Bara or Gun-Making Industry: The arms bazaars of Darra Adamhel and Landi Kotal in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan are famous for the production of light weapons for centuries. This brought a new dimension to light weapons manufacture and production in this area-the unabated and immeasurable proliferation and inflow of illicit and illegal arms.

Arms purchasers are attracted to the Darra because the manufacturing cost of weapons made here is relatively low compared to the state-regulated gun making sectors and the ready availability of a wide variety of weapons with so much pilferage taking place across the border.

Small Arms Trade and Manufacture in Pakistan:

The source of weapons supply and acquisition has been myriad: ranging from illicit influx, transfer or trade to the local production facilities.

Although LW have somewhat always been available in the arms bazaars within the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan, such as Darra Adamkhel and Landi Kotal, the major impetus and free flow of modern light weapons has increased manifold after the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.

Market Trends and Origins of Arms Proliferation in Pakistan: The main focus with respect to weapons proliferation in Pakistan remains on the unorganized private enterprise at the Landi Kotal, where arms trade continues without any state supervision. Darra and its cheaper rates attract not only non-state actors, who purchase these weapons in bulk, but also a second category of buyers, such as officials, aw enforcing agents, influential politicians,; feudal and tribal lords who regard possession of light weapons as a status symbol.

One factor contributing to the availability of small arms and light weapons in many areas (of conflict) is their earlier supply by Cold War opponents. Some states have exercised insufficient control and restraint over transfers and holdings of small arms and light weapons.

Not surprisingly, the arms pipeline to the Mujahideen leaked significantly. How many weapons leaked out of the pipeline is unknown, but the estimates run into millions of unaccounted for weapons. This again forms a cause for weapons proliferation.

Besides, Afghanistan has a significant number of small arms manufacturing units.

1.; Weapons that lecked from the US-supported arms pipelines.

2.; The stocks of Soviet weapons captured by the Mujahideen during the conflict.

3.; The third category of weapons is those manufactured by small-scale producers within the region.

;This 7- stage formula includes a ban on arms license, and a proliferation on carrying weapons in the first stage, which became effective from March 1, 2000. The other proposals or possibilities under the same action plan were to recover illicit/unlicensed arms, canceling of the prohibited arms licenses and also to regulate and bring under state control arms manufacturing units in the tribal areas.

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