Gun culture in Pakistan refers to the long-standing tradition of owning and carrying guns especially among peoples of (Northwest Frontier Province, or NWFP)[1] and generally in the whole country. There are estimated 20 million AK 47's in public use when country's total population is around 150 million. The use of heavy weaponry in Pakistan's tribal culture is common which includes use of rocket launchers, short,medium and long range rockets,anti aircraft guns,mortars etc which are made locally. Hand guns are often considered harmless in Pakistan's heavy weapon culture. The gun culture in NWFP is linked to the "twin pillars of Pathan,Hazarians and Tanoli tribal society,"[1] melmastia—hospitality and badal—revenge. One of the centers of gun manufacturing is the town of Darra Adam Khel, nearPeshawar, which was historically known for the Lee Enfield .303; however, the town now produces ordnance including the AK-47, the mini-Kalashnikov, and hand-held firearms, including the James Bond pen gun (see Khyber Pass Copy).[1]
NWFP is the smallest province of Pakistan with rugged and hilly terrain. Pashtun tribal feuds are common and guns are used both for protection and self-defense.
In the rural society like Swat, and that type of other areas of NWFP the gun culture arose in part out of the traditional antagonism between a man and his tarbur (cousin, father's brother's son). According to Charles Lindholm:[2]
| The pervasive hostility between the sons of brothers led to the development of a network of alliances within every village that divided it across lineages into two approximately equal parties, called dulla. Every man belonged to the dulla opposite that of his tarbur. This division ramified throughout the (Swat) valley, so that all of the nearly one million inhabitants visualized themselves as members of one of two eternally warring parties. |
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