Cop held hostage by drug mafia in Capital

ISLAMABAD: Peddlers in the Athal area of Phulgran on Wednesday held a police official hostage during an operation against the drug mafia, sparking a tense standoff between law-enforcement agencies and criminal elements.

A raiding party of the Islamabad Police clashed with a joint group of land and drug mafia in the Phulgran Police Station jurisdiction. The confrontation turned violent, leaving one individual injured due to police gunfire. Amid chaos, locals captured Constable Shoaib, holding him hostage in a show of defiance. The alleged criminals dragged the cop to their den and tortured him. To defuse the situation, heavy police contingents have been deployed at Athal Chowk, with senior officers arriving at the scene to negotiate a resolution. SSP (Operation) Shoaib, talking to the media after the operation, said five drug dealers have been arrested. He affirmed that the area would be cleared of the drug mafia at all costs.