SWABI: The Swabi Action Committee has warned if the use or sale of ice drug use is reported in any area, it will seek registration of FIRs against the relevant station house officers.

During a gathering in the Gadoon Amazai region here, the SAC members said the SHOs were bound by the law to keep their respective areas safe from narcotics.

They said Section 22-A of the Criminal Procedure Code empowered a judge to direct police to register a case or investigate it and allowed people to seek redress against police for unlawful refusal to register a case.

The SAC members said the sale and use of the ice drug had reached alarming proportions in the district with youth being the major victims.

They criticised the police for their failure to control the menace.

The SAC members urged people to participate in Monday’s protest sit-in at the district headquarters on the issue and said the district administration didn’t keep its promise of cracking down on drugs, made in the last sit-in staged in December.

The spokesman for the committee Salim Khan complained that the ice drug was easily available across the district with youth being the most vulnerable.

He said drug addicts were involved in robberies, illegal sale of their property, and other crimes.

“Elemination of narcotics is necessary for the good health of our youth and our progress,” he said.

The SAC members announced that Monday’s sit-in would continue until the committee’s demands were met.

SAC media coordinator Saeedullah said he expected massive participation of people in the sit-in for a crackdown on narcotics.

He said concession in electricity tariff and smooth electric supply were the right of residents for rendering sacrifices for the Tarbela Dam and Ghazi Barotha hydropower projects.

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2025