KARACHI, April 22: A village in the defunct district Malir has become a haven for drug addicts and drug smugglers.

Here a network of drug carriers has been active for the last over two decades, and it has become a major source for supply of narcotics to sub-urban areas, including Shah Faisal Colony, Model Colony, Malir City, Landhi-Korangi etc.

Gharibabad goth, established some 20 years ago, is located in the Malir town and falls in the Malir city police limits. The area people claimed that the drug menace had been flourishing in the area with the connivance of the police.

Some nearby goths and parts of Khokhrapar are worst hit owing to easy availability of drugs here and youth are falling prey to the activities of the drug smugglers.

Area people say a majority of the drug-users are the drivers and conductors of public transport vehicles or those working in the auto repair-related jobs.

The drug menace has snatched peace of homes and tranquillity of society, and many families are at the brink of starvation as the breadwinners of their families started taking drugs.

What is of concern to parents is that teenagers of nearby urban areas, especially schoolchildren, are exposed to the danger.

A few months back a body of a child was also found in the village and nothing could be known later on about the body.

Inquiries reveal that drug trade is common at spots where katcha hotels or dubboo clubs have been established and at first they attract the young people of even 15-20, and once they are hooked to the menace, they themselves start taking the drugs.

At the katcha hotels, screening of immoral pictures, especially Indian movies, continues which makes a bad impact on children.

Resultantly, thefts have become rampant and there have also been complaints that drug addicts barge into houses at night and take away goods.

They sell them to junk dealers and earn so much amount that fulfils their needs for a few days.

Earlier, prior to the devolution, a former district magistrate had put a curb on supply of heroin and hashish, but after some time, the drug smugglers/carriers again became active.

Owing to the ban, the activity started spreading in the nearby localities, and residents of Saudia Colony, Malir Saudabad, Jinnah Square, Khokhrapar 1, 2, 3, 4, E-1 and E-2 area, G, H area and S-1 and S-2 area, Indus Mehran, Kausar Town and Pak Kausar Town started expressing concern over the increasing activities of the drug mafia.

The area people said that whenever the police puts curbs on drug carriers, they shift their businesses to nearby areas, causing problems for the residents of those areas.

The residents have demanded an end to drug smuggling and urged the town Nazim to come to their rescue and establish a rehabilitation centre in Khokhrapar for drug addicts.