KHYBER: The smuggling of narcotics from Afghanistan, though in limited quantity, continues to haunt police in Khyber tribal district despite their relentless efforts to contain the illegal trading of these drugs in local market.

Sources in Torkham and Wazir Dhand market of Jamrud told Dawn that after a recent police crackdown on drug dealers in different parts of Khyber, particularly in bordering regions, traders of narcotics adopted new tactics of concealing the contraband in different types of imported items that were brought from Afghanistan via Torkham border in trailers and containers.

“It largely depends on the luck of these smugglers if they succeed in taking their illegal ‘consignment’ to the desired destination or are apprehended by local police while en-route to Peshawar,” they said.

Police in the recent past launched a crackdown on drug dealers in different parts of Bara and Jamrud with particular focus of Wazir Dhand market as it had earned notoriety across the country for supply of different types of illegal drugs including heroin, charas, hashish, ice and ecstasy pills.

DPO says his force faces capacity issue despite making efforts against narcotics trade

Sources in Wazir Dhad market told Dawn that drug dealing was considerably reduced as most of dealers abandoned their illegal business and fled the area.

They, however, said that ice-meth and ecstasy pills were still in demand, mostly among youth with its dealers providing the ‘stuff’ to their customers on a ‘hit and run’ basis as they kept on changing their locations and used mobile phones for keeping in touch with their clients.

Police officials conceded that narcotics trade was decades-old ‘menace’ and an untiring and continuous effort was required to curtail its effects and wipe out the illegal activity.

They also claimed to have seized different illegal drugs worth Rs500 million during the last one month. They said that police continued to expedite their efforts to keep a strict vigil on movements of drug pushers in different parts of Khyber.

DPO Rae Mazhar Iqbal, however, told Dawn that his force was still facing capacity issues despite its wholehearted efforts against the drugs while locals too were still sympathetic towards the illegal trade as they were still considering it a major source of earning for a vast majority.

He said that police were holding regular meetings with local elders, youth and students to update them about the hazards attached with the use of illegal drugs. He added that they also held regular meetings with judges of local courts in a continuous effort to expedite the process of prosecution against those, who were arrested on charges of drugs smuggling.

The DPO said that efforts were also under way to check and control poppy cultivation in Tirah valley as a majority of the returned families reverted to the once banned agricultural activity.

PROTEST: The representatives of various transporter associations held a protest demonstration in Jamrud on Monday against the prolonged closure of Peshawar-Torkham highway by Kukikhel protesters.

Holding banners and placards, they threatened to observe wheel jam strike if the road was not cleared within three days.

Speaking on the occasion, chairman of Azad Qabayal Transporters Welfare Association Hazrat Ghulam said that road closure adversely affected transport sector. He said that a number of heavy and loaded vehicles met accidents while using the alternative Shalman-Malagori road.

He demanded of government and security establishment to hold meaningful dialogue with Kukikhel tribe and help reopen the highway to end the miseries of transporters and traders besides restoring bilateral trade with Afghanistan.

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2024