KARACHI, May 8: Eight policemen and two civilians were arrested in a raid at Kharadar police lines and other locations in the city on Monday for their alleged involvement in selling narcotics.

Kharadar police came to know that a man, identified as Nasir, was selling heroin under the patronage of

Shakir, son of a head constable, Nazeer. The police secretly watched the activities of the two suspects and informed the high-ups, who instituted an inquiry into the matter.

The inquiry showed that Shakir, in connivance with Nasir, used to sell heroin in a locality adjacent to the Kharadar police lines, and also used to say that police could not touch them.

Police raided the Kharadar police lines and arrested Shakir and Nasir after recovering 110 grams of heroin powder from their possession. They revealed that 12 policemen were involved in the drug trade.

On their lead, police picked up ASI Misri Khan, head constables Ghulam Yaseen and Mohammad Ashraf, and constables Mohammad Asif, Mumtaz Khan, Idrees Shah, Gulrez Ahmed and Shahid Iqbal.

Four other policemen, two of them belonging to the CID, were absconding and raids were being conducted on Monday night to arrest them.

SHO Kharadar Mohammad Ali Dhamra said that Shakir and Nasir were arrested under sections 3/4 of the Anti-narcotics Ordinance while a departmental action against the arrested policemen was recommended.

When contacted, TPO Saddar SSP Sanaullah Abbasi confirmed the arrests, and said that the policemen were patronizing the drug trade and a case under section 155C of the Police Order 2002 had been registered against them.

“We are considering registration of a case of abetment against them as they somehow supported the illegal sale,” he added.

He said that stern action would be taken against ‘black sheep’ in police, and those showing good performance would be rewarded.