LAHORE: A police head constable allegedly involved in cross-border smuggling of drugs through drones was injured during a raid of the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in Hadiara, close to the Pakistan-India border.

The incident took place some days back and the injured policeman, Head Constable Khurram Shahzad Khan, was shifted to hospital where his condition was said to be critical.

Sources said a bullet hit in his abdomen and another in his leg during an armed clash with a law enforcement agency. They said the Elite Force and local police also took part in the operation launched at an outhouse in Hadiara.

The sources claimed that the joint raid was planned following a secret information that the policeman was smuggling drugs to India through drones.

Head constable, accomplices used to smuggle drugs across border through drones

He was an expert in information technology and used to operate the drones himself, they said, adding that the intelligence reports said the policeman was involved in this heinous crime for the last many years.

During the raid, Khurram Khan and his accomplices opened fire on the raiding teams, creating panic in the area. The officers of the law enforcement agencies returned fire, which led to an armed clash. As the guns went silent, the authorities found Khurram injured critically, the sources said, adding that they also seized a significant quantity of drugs and a drone from the spot.

Khurram Shahzad was serving in the Organized Crime Unit (OCU), formerly known as Crime Investigation Agency (CIA).

Following his involvement in the cross-border smuggling of drugs, Lahore OCU DIG Imran Kishwar had surrendered his services to the Lahore capital city police officer in July last year.

The DIG had recommended strict departmental and criminal action against him. However, Khurram managed to get five-month leave using his influence in the police department and started illegal activities near the Pakistan-India border.

There were reports that the matter had been handed over to the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) for further investigation.

The sources claimed that the infamous ‘business’ of cross border smuggling of narcotics/drugs through drones in Lahore, Kasur and Sialkot was largely going unnoticed. It was said that some locals residing near the international borders were involved in the same ‘business’ for the last many years.

The sources alleged that the police high-ups have been avoiding launch action against the mafia involved in heinous crime.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2025