Daily Times

LAHORE: It seems that the city police have failed to curb drug addiction in the city as several drug addicts can be seen injection dugs, especially heroin, into their swollen veins in different parts of the city.

According to rescuers, at least 15 to 20 people fall prey to drug addiction every week in the provincial capital.

Police also seem helpless or reluctant to arrest those who are allegedly involved in selling “poison” to the people in different areas of the city, including Gawalmandi, Lakshmi Chowk, Qillar Gujjar Singh, Sanda, Shahadra, Baghbanpura, Chauburji, Iqbal Town, Gulshan Ravi, Gulberg, Township, Sabzazar, Kot Lakhpat, Green Town and other areas.

Residents of these areas have strongly condemned the spurt in the illegal business, saying that the menace of drugs is ruining the lives of their children. They said that police were reluctant to arrest drug peddlers. They said that drug peddlers usually greased the palm of policemen to “flourish” their illegal business. They alleged that drug peddlers with the connivance of police officials were openly selling narcotics, including heroin, liquor and opium.

In this connection, a report prepared by the Police Department earlier had made shocking relegations, saying that some of the drug peddlers were operating their business with the help of corrupt police officials.

According to the report, drug peddlers give bribe to station house offices to run their illegal business. “Luckily, if an honest station house officer is deputed at a police station, his subordinates inform drug peddlers prior to a police raid and they manage to escape easily.

A police official, requesting anonymity, told Daily Times that some black sheep in the police force inform drugs peddlers prior to any raid. He said that efforts were being made to identify such personnel. He added that police had become a silent spectator to the rise in drug addiction in the city. “If you have money in your pocket you can buy anything… speaking honestly.”

When contacted, Anti-Drugs/Narcotics Campaign Consultant Syed Zulfiqar Hussain said that many drug addicts could be seen injecting drugs into their bodies using syringes. He said that law enforcement agencies concerned had failed to curb the sale of drugs in the city and the number of drugs users were on the rise.

He said practical steps were needed to eliminate the scourge of narcotics from the city. Moreover, he said that there was a dire need to increase treatment facilities for drug addicts in the public sector as the treatment was very costly at private health facilities.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for DIG (Operations) Friday said that 485 people were arrested last month during a crackdown of drug dealers. He said that 19kg heroin, 250kg charas, 16kg opium and 8,446 bottles of liquor were recovered from them.

Separately, DIG (Operations) Dr Hiader Ashraf said that police were taking strict action against drug dealers across the city. He added that the police with the collaboration of other departments concern would purge the city of drug addiction soon.

Earlier, Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Amin Wains during a meeting at his office had directed SPs, circle officers and SHOs to take a strict action against drug dealers in their respective areas.

It might be mentioned that the CCPO had also established an Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU) to fight the menace of drug addiction.

ANF Punjab chief Khalid Mahmood has said that 83 percent of the world’s narcotics is being produced in Afghanistan and 40 percent of it is being smuggled to Pakistan. He said that the department was working against drug dealers and also tracing their trafficking networks; thus limiting smuggling, trafficking and distribution of narcotics in the country and ensuring strict control of chemical movement.

Published in Daily Times, July 22^nd , 2017.