KARACHI: Over 100 drug addicts fled from a rehabilitation centre — run by a police inspector-cum-philanthropist in Orangi Town — after a mob attacked it following the intrusion of a few addicts into nearby homes on Sunday, police said.

DIG-West Irfan Ali Baloch told Dawn that the centre had been established within the remit of the Mominabad police station by Inspector Abdul Khaliq Ansari, who is also engaged in social welfare activities on his own.

According to the initial inquiry, around three to four addicts had been kept in ‘isolation’ for rehabilitation purposes, but managed to escape by cutting through the grill. They then entered nearby homes, prompting residents to raise alarm. Subsequently, some locals — reportedly backed by certain political and other elements — stormed the rehabilitation centre, manhandled its staff and ransacked the premises. Taking advantage of the chaos, several other addicts also managed to flee, the official said.

The DIG noted that the exact number of escaped addicts was still being ascertained.

Police say some residents stormed the facility, protesting addicts sneaked into their homes

However, Mominabad SHO Meraj Anwar was quoted by a section of the media as saying that 117 addicts undergoing rehabilitation at the centre in Haryana Colony, Orangi Town, Sector 10½, had all managed to escape.

He added that the addicts scuffled with the staff, vandalised the centre, climbed over the walls, entered neighbours’ homes and then fled.

Talking to Dawn, Inspector Ansari, who had also recently served as the SHO of Pak Colony police station, expressed his regrets over the incident and said he had established the centre to rehabilitate addicts, whose numbers were unfortunately increasing in the area.

He alleged that “drug peddlers” were behind the attack and that they beat two individuals deployed for the centre’s security. He claimed the motive of the attack was to “free the addicts so that drug trade could flourish in Orangi”.

He added that the centre had been operating in the area for several years and had successfully rehabilitated many addicts. He claimed that, following the centre’s establishment, “narcotics consumption in Orangi Town had decreased”.

Mr Ansari confirmed that 117 addicts undergoing rehabilitation had managed to escape. He said he would lodge an FIR against the attackers.

DIG Baloch clarified that the centre was not being operated by the police. He said it was being run by the Inspector Ansari in his personal capacity.

He added that Mr Ansari was also running similar rehabilitation centres for drug addicts in other parts of the metropolis.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2025