SWABI: The police destroyed poppy crop on 50 kanals of land in the mountainous area of Razaar tehsil here on Tuesday, officials said.

DSP Razaar Hassan Khan and SHO of Paramuli police station, Mohammad Naeem Khan, told mediapersons that district revenue department officials had conducted a survey in Naranji village, and based on the information, the police launched an operation to destroy the crop cultivated in the far-flung mountainous region.

Officials of the revenue department were also present during the operation, they said.

They said that the area, where the poppy crop was cultivated, was difficult terrain.

“A heavy contingent of the police conducted the operation,” DSP Hassan Khan said.

He said poppy growers did not put up any resistance.

He said the farmers were aware they had cultivated the crop despite the authorities’ ban.

SHO Naeem Khan said that they had not filed an FIR against anyone, but the police had collected the names of all the farmers who had cultivated the crop, and if the district police officer ordered them, then they would register cases against them.

He said the poppy crop was at a critical stage and opium production was about to start from it in a few days, so the police destroyed it without delay.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2026