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“Afghanistan is a good market for neighboring countries particularly Pakistan to export toy guns, firecrackers and unhealthy sweets and spoil Afghan children”
By Farhad Naibkhel-KABUL: Ministry of Interior (MoI) on Tuesday imposed ban on import, sale and use of toy guns. The decision came after scores of children injured themselves with toy guns and firecrackers during the three-day Eid al-Fitr holiday.
Spokesman for the ministry, Sediq Sediqi said that the decision was made to prevent such mishaps in the future as several children injured themselves across the country during the Eid holidays.
He said that over 100 children were injured alone in Kabul, adding that police had been ordered to collect all types of toy guns from children and shops in the country. The decision regarding ban on sale of toy guns will be shared with the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) and traders so they will not import such toys in future, the spokesman added while warning the violators of stern action.
The spokesman further said that children would have no access to toys and firecrackers in next Eid.
He urged public for support in the campaign to collect the toy guns.
The interior ministry has taken such decisions several times, but failed to clear the local markets from firecrackers and toy guns.
Muhammad Jan, a 30-year old resident of the capital city, welcomed the ministry’s decision and hoped the drive would conclude successfully and children would not have access to firecrackers and toy guns anymore.
He said that sale of unhealthy sweets, toy guns made of plastic and firecrackers increase manifold in the country during the public holidays for Eid as neighboring countries, particularly Pakistan find a good market in Afghanistan for export of these “evil commodities”.
“Most of the neighboring countries, particularly Pakistan exports expired and substandard medicines, edible items and other goods. Greedy local businessmen want to earn more money in less time that’s why they give order of low quality products to Pakistani factories,” he said.
Jan asked the government to take action against traders who import low quality products and toy guns.
