Anyone who has had a wedding function at home and has been involved in the process knows that there is an unwritten yet prescribed list of acceptable wedding gifts – money being the best gift of them all. But besides that, every newlywed couple is gifted 2-3 mixer-grinders, a dozen odd bedsheets, dinner sets, and show-pieces which are meant to get rotated.
However, in one part of the world, people find it acceptable and normal to gift, wait for it, AK-47 rifles as wedding gifts! According to News18, a groom in Islamabad, Pakistan, got gifted an AK-47 rifle by a woman while others cheered on. A video of the incident has gone viral online.
According to local reports, the woman is none other than the groom’s mother-in-law. Have a look at the video here:
Kalashnikov rifle as a wedding present pic.twitter.com/BTTYng5cQL
— Adeel Ahsan (@syedadeelahsan) November 25, 2020
While many cracked funny jokes on watching the video, there were also some who slammed the country’s gun laws. A few others also highlighted how this happens across various cultures.
My relatives gave me a picture frame! https://t.co/trRvIOUvG0
— Chief of Zaidi Staff (@AmreekiSazish) November 26, 2020
We need strict gun laws in Pakistan. What the fuck is wrong with these people?!?? https://t.co/1Iinmk4Daq
— Faiza Yousuf (@FaizaYousuf) November 26, 2020
"Ye lo beta, the world is your dowry now" https://t.co/gjEvBwkqXI
— Utkarsh Kr. Tripathi (@Bhartiya_Kopite) November 26, 2020
If this isn't the biggest red flag I dont know what is https://t.co/5IImjYs1gx
— Shahzil Khan kakezai (@shahzilKkakezai) November 26, 2020
Hope he didn’t fire it off to see if it works. Idiots. https://t.co/orh5EYgemN
— Madhav Samant (@madhavsamant) November 26, 2020
This is something whimsically biazare. I understand this must have been in the tribal area and it does not represent the overall culture of the country. In the tribal hilly areas gun culture is common..
— shaks (@Shakks22) November 26, 2020
For all those calling it an act of terrorism, hold your breaths pls. It’s a custom in some families to present the father’s or grandfather’s hunting riffle/Kalashnikov to the son/grandson on his marriage not to promote terrorism but as a gesture of honour.
U DnT LiKE iT, DOnT SeE— Raheen Fatimah Khan (@raheenfkhan) November 26, 2020
Sala generation hi in logo ka kharab ho chuka hai. Don’t know whether they have something even named as arm law in their country or not. Disgraceful.
— Ashutosh (@jha_ashu1989) November 26, 2020
Wife dar gyi hogi ya safe feel kar rahi hogi
— Sumit V (@UN_PrEdiTAble) November 26, 2020
Don’t you think it is thoroughly irresponsible to hand over a rifle to a civilian? Easy access to arms is what causes gun violence in the first place.