Rawalpindi: This time, the people came out from their houses, not against inflation, loadshedding, gas and water shortage or even terrorism, but to save their youth from drug mafia, running their business openly under the police umbrella, and demanding to protect their children from drug addiction.
Dozens of residents of Dhamial Camp staged a protest demonstration after getting cold response from the police authorities, despite lodging numerous complaints with their offices, that drug trade was at its peak and the heroin, hashish and liquor was being sold in streets without any resistance while the police were taking no action against the mafia, consequently, their young children were being drug addicts.
The inhabitants of Dhamial Camp, demanding the government and law enforcing authorities to launch a comprehensive operation clean-up against the drug mafia to save the youngsters, said that a history-sheeter gang of influential mafia, involved in heinous crimes, was running the drug trade with the help of area police, adding that the residents of the area went to police station, they got cold response from the police and finally, they had no option but to come out of their houses to protect their youth from drug and liquor addiction.
An elderly resident told ‘The News’ that the drug mafia was comprising of hardened criminals, adding that Raja Bashir, Ehsan Khan, Arif alias Billu, Amar Khan, Raja Hayat alias Mani, Rahman Khan and Khaliq alias Charagh Baali were running drug trade who have been jailed for their involvement in heinous crimes. He alleged that the mafia was enjoying complete protection of the area police for running their drug trade. The other residents, participated in the protest demonstration against the drug mafia including Khalid Chaudhary, Noman Shah, Hasrat Gul, Shair Mohammad and Allah Bakhsh endorsed the point of view of the old man.
A police officer, when contacted for his comments, on the condition of anonymity, endorsed the allegation levelled by the people of Dhamial Camp, saying that actually, police were responsible for the enhancement of heinous nature of such crimes by providing protection to the mafias involved in drug business, sex trade, bootlegging, dacoities and carjacking.
“Often, the police are found part of the mafia businesses. Some time they physically take part in the crime and sometime they keep themselves behind the curtain and provide protection to the criminals,” the officer, feeling himself helpless and misfit in the ‘thana culture’, said.
He said, “Ironically, this has become an open secret that an SHO takes Rs110,000 for providing help and complete protection from the carjackers to steal a car,” adding, “Who will listen to the people’s cries whose young sons are being indulged in drug addiction.”
He said that money was more important for the police, adding that they never take action against the mafia who was injecting poison in the veins of the youngsters. “Police stations are made not to protect lives and properties of the public but only to mint money,” the officer angrily concluded.
