Experts believe mostly ice addicts behind crimes, violence

PESHAWAR: Ice or meth addiction has proved to be a major factor behind the increase in street crimes and other violent incidents in different parts of the province as most of the addicts committed crimes to arrange money for the drug.

According to the experts, the excessive use of ice makes an addict more aggressive who can harm anyone under the influence of the drug. The use of this drug is considered to be a major factor behind the incidents of shooting the victims during snatching, robbery and other such crimes for a little or even no resistance.

A number of people were shot and injured while a few lost lives when they were shot by the snatchers during mobile and cash snatchings in the last few years, since the use of the drug had increased. Senior police officers believe the ice is one of the major factors behind an increase in crime.

“Ice addicts are involved in around 70 percent of the street crimes in the provincial capital in recent months,” Capital City Police Officer Ashfaq Anwar confirmed when approached by The News. The capital city police have launched a drive against the drugs as well as gangs involved in street crimes in different parts of Peshawar.

A number of encounters have taken place with street criminals in the last one week. There were a number of incidents of snatching, theft, robberies and other crimes in KP districts in which the criminals were found to be ice addicts. Not only they are involved in street crimes but also harm their family members even without any provocation.

They killed their parents, spouses, brothers and other relatives under the influence of ice. An official recalled that a couple of years back one Mohammad Asif, a drug addict, allegedly opened fire at his mother and a niece over a petty issue in the limits of the Matani Police Station some time back. Another person, Raza Ali allegedly shot his wife dead and injured his daughter Saima and son Danyal on Warsak Road.

Police said the accused was a drug addict. “Never consume ice as you will have to pay a heavy price for it. I shot my brother under the influence of this drug,” said a young man behind bars in a video after he was held for murder of his brother on a petty issue. In many incidents of sexual assault on children, the accused were found to be ice addicts. Some reports said young girls were forced to become ice addicts to become party dancers and entertainers which have become a regular feature in posh localities of many cities in the country.

More drugs are consumed during these parties hosted in rented houses, basements and farm houses, reports said. There are reports of a number of major gangs, small groups and individuals in the urban and suburban areas of Peshawar and rest of the districts of KP that produce, smuggle and sell ice and other drugs anywhere in cities, villages and suburban towns. The easy availability of ice has resulted in an increase in the number of addicts, including youth and even teenagers in the last few years. Young boys and in some cases girls under the influence of drugs were seen in videos which went viral on social media.

A large number of addicts can be seen on footpaths and roadside just opposite Karkhano, Hayatabad, Faqirabad, GT Road, Kohat Road-Ring Road Chowk, Jaba Sohail, Dir Colony, Dilazak Road, Charsadda Road and many other areas.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police and other departments have been carrying out operations against the drug mafia almost on a daily basis but all this could not stop the increasing use of narcotics in the province, especially among the youth and students.

KP Inspector General of Police Akhtar Hayat Khan recently said aggressive operations were being conducted regularly against the mafias and individuals involved in production, smuggling and sale of ice, heroin and other drugs.

He said some major achievements have been made in these operations that will continue till elimination of the menace. All the regional and district police officers have been directed to go after those involved in production, sale and smuggling of ice, heroin and other drugs and submit their reports regularly. Apart from action by police, strictest punishments are needed against the gangs and individuals involved in the business that have ruined the lives of thousands of people.