MINGORA: “I started glue sniffing and then got addicted to heroin at the age of 10. I did it for three years in the company of some of my neighbourers who used to sell drugs. Later, I converted to ice abuse. I never hesitated to steal things at home and in neighbourhood for buying drugs,” narrates Imran Khan, a 14-year-old drug-addicted patient from Kas Watkey area in Mingora.

The civil society members said that drug addiction cases were increasing in Swat day by day despite efforts by the local administration against drug dealers. They said that the trend of using ice or methamphetamine, heroin and glue sniffing was on the rise among teenagers. They said that the reason for all this was the easy availability of drugs in Mingora, Saidu Sharif, Matta, Kabal, Charbagh and Khwazakhela areas.

Imran said that luckily he fell into police hands who soon admitted him to the rehabilitation centre of Nawey Jwand, an NGO, where he almost recovered and resumed his educational activities.

“When I recovered, I realised how beautiful the life is as nobody liked me when I would use drugs. Sometimes I would fall into drain and remain there for hours. That was ugly life which came to an end,” he said. He said that though police arrested the drug dealers several times, but after few days they came out and started selling the drugs.

Fazal Mabood (19), another drug addict, said that he started using ice when he went to Peshawar for studies and then left education.

“Here in Swat I got ice drug regularly as Ghwarai Kanda in Haji Baba is the place where every type of drug is openly sold,” he told this correspondent.

There are also a number of injection drug users, including women, in Swat. Kauser, a mother of three, uses injection drugs for the last six years. According to her, she got addicted to injection since her husband divorced her.

“When I heard that my husband left me I felt acute headache with a shock and was taken to hospital where doctors used nalbuphine to release my pain.

“My headache problem got regular and so I use the same injection to ease my pain. This is how I got addicted to the drug,” she told this scribe. She said that she was in great pain as she was alone and had to rear her three children.

“Now I want to get rid of the drug but I cannot. I went to hospital for treatment, but there is no facility for women drug addicts. I want to get back to normal life by treatment and appeal to government to arrange treatment for women drug users in Swat,” she said.

According to a survey conducted by Nawey Jwand, an NGO working for rehabilitation of drug addicts in Swat, there are over 4,000 addicts in Swat using different drugs.

“We have not included charas users, but those who use heroin, ice or methamphetamine, glue, etc. It is alarming that a large number of youth and children are using these drugs,” Riaz Ahmad, head of the NGO, told this correspondent.

He said that about 600 drug-addicted youth, including children, were registered with them of which 120 were rehabilitated as some resumed studies and others started working to earn livelihood for their families.

“Some of the youth who got rid of the curse also joined us as volunteers,” he said.

Mr Ahmad said that he worked in close coordination with Swat police to eliminate the curse from the valley. “The police have taken steps against the drug dealers in the valley, but we need active cooperation of the local communities in identification of drug dealers so that police could take action against them,” he said.

Nawey Jwand used to work in Saidu Sharif Teaching Hospital, but recently the hospital administration asked it to relocate outside the hospital.

Social activists in Mingora said that there must be an effective mechanism and laws against drug dealers as the police arrested them and soon they were out again on bail. “There are more than 100 drug dealers in Swat. Though police arrest and file cases against them again and again, but after few days they are released on bail and so the activity of selling drugs never ends,” said Faisal Nauman.

People of Mingora said that all types of drugs were sold at Banr, Watkey, Gul Kada, Rang Mohallah, Saidu Sharif, Sharifabad, Haji Baba, Amankot, Rahimabad and many other areas against which the police must take strict action so that the curse could be eliminated.

ASP Lower Swat, Khan Khel, said that Swat police had launched a crackdown on the dealers and sellers of narcotics.

“We have arrested more than 40 dealers recently and sent them to Timergara and Daggar prisons under section 3MPO for one month. We are taking action against drug dealers and will not allow anyone to sell drugs here,” he said.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2018