CHARSADDA: The residents of Shabqaddar tehsil staged a protest against open sale of ice and other drugs in the area.

The protesters threatened to launch a full-fledged movement if district administration failed to stop smuggling of contrabands. Former nazim Shahid Khan, Qaumi Watan Party tehsil president Mohammad Fayaz Khan, councillor Multan Khan, Haji Khan Syed and Shakir Khan Haleemzai led the protesters.

They expressed concerns over open sale and smuggling of ice and other contrabands including heroin and hashish in the area. They said that police and other law-enforcement agencies had turned a blind eye to the menace.

The protesters alleged that district administration failed to check sale and smuggling of drugs, which ruined the lives of hundreds of youth in the area. They also criticised the role of police in that regard.

They alleged that police were hand in glove with the drug pushers.

Setting one week deadline to district administration, the enraged protesters said that all residents of the tehsil would take to streets after expiry of the deadline to force the administration to take effective measures to uproot the menace.

They said that hundreds of youth became drug addicts owing to open sale of drugs in the area.

They also called upon the elected representatives to play their role in elimination of drug abuse from the society.

The protesters dispersed peacefully after holding successful talks with SHO of Shabqaddar police station.

Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2017