Cops’ ties with drug, gambling dens to be probed

Karachi
The Karachi police chief formed a team on Sunday to investigate cops’ alleged involvement in the drug and gambling dens business.
Additional IGP Karachi Ghulam Qadir Thebo has formed the body under the supervision of the DIG administration taking notice of media reports about police allowing drug and gambling dens to run after taking bribe from their owners every week.
Thebo told The News that since the start of the Karachi operation, clear instructions were issued to all police officers, including SPs and SHOs, to shut down drug and gambling dens in the respective area and if they failed to do so, strict action would be taken against them.
He added that many SHOs were suspended or demoted after they were found guilty of having tied with drug or gambling mafias.
On Saturday night, a massive crackdown was also launched in the West district under the supervision of SSP Azfar Mahesar during three drug dens were demolished and the narcotics found there torched.
Besides, police also found stolen properties including motorcycles there and arrested many suspects.
He said the inquiry committee formed under the supervision of DIG administration Sultan Ali Khawaja had been directed to submit its report within five days.
According to media reports, the Special Branch of police has revealed that 130 policemen were involved in taking money from drug and gambling dens in the city for allowing them to operate. Most of those policemen are constables.
It is stated in the Special Branch’s report that constables Iftikhar, Yousaf and Saleem, Waseem Qureshi, Tariq and Asghar collect money drug and gambling dens in Gulshah-e-Maymar, Gulbabar, Pak Colony, Peerabad, Azizabad, PIB Colony and the Aziz Bhatti area respectively.
ASIs Zahoor and Amjad take takes money from drug dealers in Nazimabad and the Super Market area.
The money is then passed on to high-ranking officials.