LAHORE, Dec 12: A local organisation representing youngsters has demanded of the Punjab chief minister to issue licenses to all snooker clubs because these places were dragging underage and school and college students to petty crimes.

According to a press release issued here on Monday, some youngsters formed the Lahore Youth Force (LYF) to identify places in streets and markets which were turning into breeding grounds for petty crimes and destroying the future of the youth.

In the first phase, the LYF has decided to launch a movement against the mafia behind the mushroom growth of snooker clubs in streets, markets and bazaars by targeting the schoolchildren in the name of sports activities.

LYF chairman Bilal Bukshi said the organization would collect a data of all snooker clubs located either in streets, markets, commercial buildings or any other places to help the government bring them under a system to check the street crime.

He said that most of the owners running snooker clubs were involved in monkey business of drug trafficking, betting and other such crimes at the street level.

Mr Bilal said the old system of controlling the crime on sports like snooker clubs through law enforcement agencies bore no fruits.

He said the issuing of licenses to owners of snooker clubs with terms and conditions would not only reduce criminal activities but would also help prevent youngsters from indulging in petty crimes.