KHYBER: Residents of Bakarabad area in Jamrud tehsil here on Tuesday announced a ‘social boycott’ of the sellers of all illegal drugs, especially heroin, ice and charas.

The announcement came during a meeting of the local notables, especially social activists, at a local hujra.

The participants resented the growing sale of ice drug and heroin in Bakarabad and other areas of Jamrud and said scores of youth had fallen victim to the menace.

They complained the local authorities had failed to check the illegal drug trade.

The participants said they would stop all those doing the drug business from participating in all social gatherings, including weddings and funerals, in the area.

They urged the Kukikhel elders to enforce the social boycott of such elements across Jamrud area to save youth from drug addiction.

The participants urged the police and district administration to take effective measures against the menace and announced their complete support for the purpose.

Sources in Jamrud area said though the local police had made claims about the seizure of a large quantity of narcotics during a crackdown on the illegal drug trade, Jamrud continued to be considered a major centre of the supply of ice drug, heroin and liquor.

Meanwhile, residents of Takhtaki area of Tirah valley demanded of the district administration to cancel the lease of coal mines in their area.

Addressing a news conference at the Bara Press Club on Tuesday, Takhtaki elders Seena Gul, Khiyal Mohammad, Kimiya Gul, Haji Anar Jan, Subedar Bahadar and Maulana Shoaib alleged that Bara MPA Mohammad Shafeeq had ‘orchestrated’ the award of the lease of local coal mines to his blue-eyed people, who were non-locals.

They said that they were the actual owners of coal mines but unfortunately, nobody took them into confidence, while the lease was awarded despite their prior reservations about the transparency of the lease contract.

The elders said that they had informed the district administration about reservations about the award of lease to non-locals and alerted it to the possibility of a law and order situation if their grievances were not addressed.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2022