SWABI, Sept 5: Heroin addicts in the district have started visiting the tribal region, 200km from here, for buying the drug. Some addicts here on Saturday told Dawn that the diminishing poppy cultivation had doubled the price of heroin in the district.

But in the Karkhano region of the tribal area, the drug is easily available. Many poppy fields have been destroyed here, making it difficult to get heroin easily. Most of the previous dealers have also given up the business.

Maneri, Kunda and Zaida were the centres where the drug was sold freely, but law enforcement agencies had tightened noose around the drug pushers. Many addicts spend the night on footpaths at the Peshawar general bus stand.

"At night we sleep on footpaths. In summer we face no problem, but it is quite difficult to sleep under the open sky in winter," said Sharif Gul. He has been taking drugs for 15 years. He refuses to meet his sons who persuade him to kick the habite.

"I have been under treatment three times and on each occasion, I became normal, but later I joined old colleagues," said Zarwali of Maneri Bala. Now, he said, it was impossible for him to give up heroin. At the same time he narrated the story of an addict who died on the footpath. No one was came forward to give him burial. The body was left there for dogs.