“Show me a gun and I will make a perfect copy within ten days”

is the most common phrase among Pakistani gunsmiths in Dara Adam Khel and the area south of Peshawar.

This region is known for hosting the largest counterfeit weapons market in Asia, where skilled craftsmen create incredibly precise replicas of automaticpistols, Kalashnikovs, machine guns and more.

The weapons are released on the market at a fraction of the price of the originals, making them easily accessible; thus becoming the fuel for armed conflictsbetween factions, exacerbating humanitarian crises and contributing to instability in many “sensitive” areas.

With this series of unpublished images, taken in August 2024 in some factories south of Peshawar, I wanted to document a reality that is often hidden and underrated, but has a great impact.