According to media, the United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to approve a landmark treaty that tries to regulate weapons trade. The reality is that illegal weapon trade has become big threat for world security and peace these days and unfortunately big powers are using illegal weapon trade to boost their falling economies. It is true that now several wars, conflicts, militias, war lords are alive because of the powers that big weapon industry has in the world. Now unmanned drones, fighter jets, missiles and bombs are killing more people every year than natural disasters. Several billion dollars worth of illegal weapon trade has become a big threat to the world peace now, which should be taken seriously.
Use of legal and illegal weapons is very common, not only in the third world poor countries, but also in modern countries like US, France and Germany. Several bloody conflicts from Asia to Africa are getting all types of weapons through arms traders. According to a new estimate seventy four thousand women and children lose their lives every year because of illegal weapons trade. Unfortunately despite killing of large number of people every year, the world community is silent and doing nothing to minimize illegal and legal arms trade because illegal arms trade is providing enough support to ailing economies of several countries including the USA.
The UN member states have failed to agree on common draft to regulating the multibillion dollar arms trade. However now they have now agreed to regularize weapon trade which is good for poor countries and the world on the whole.
KHAWAJA UMER FAROOQ,
Jeddah, April 3.