‘70pc Sheesha cafes closed down in City’

LAHORE

As much as 70 per cent of Sheesha Cafes has been closed down in the city with the help of City District Government Lahore (CDGL). 

Sheesha Cafes were actually used as drug consumption rooms (DCR) where a large number of youth and students used to puff hard and soft drugs while under cover running Sheesha Cafes. Every segment of society should come forward to play an important role to combat hard and soft drugs in younger generations. 

This was stated by Syed Zulfiqar Hussain, Consultant, Anti Drug/Narcotics Campaign, in his lecture on Drug Addiction through Sheesha Cafes at GC University, Lahore. The lecture was organised by Ravian Forensic Society. Dr Muhammad Akhyar Farrukh, Registrar, GC University chaired the programme and Malik Javed Iqbal, Deputy Director, Drug Advisory Training Hub spoke on the occasion. 

Syed Zulfiqar said parents and public were worried about selling of Sheesha material in open markets, while people buy Sheesha material and use at home or at hidden places. About 350 Sheesha Cafes were offering Sheesha material in different restaurants in the city in 2012 which was a big illegal industry then. Our young generation used hard and soft drugs in these cafes, he added. The Punjab Prohibition of Sheesha Smoking Bill, 2014 was unanimously passed in the Punjab Assembly but we are still waiting for effective implementation of the law, and now Sheesha selling and smoking must be reduced in the province. Addiction is a chronic, relapsing brain disease characterised by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences, he said. 

Syed Zulfiqar said drug affected areas in Lahore where poor and neglected people use drugs on footpath, gardens and parks like Lakshami Chowk, Nisbat Road, Moonlight Cinema Road, Data Darbar, Ali Park, Railway Station, Badamibagh, Sanda, Kot Khawaja Saeed, Chamiran, Faizbagh, Bund Road, Shahdra, Township, Baghbanpura, Mughalpura, Ichra, Misri Shah, Saddar, Township, Chungi Amar Sidhu, Kot Lakhpat, Green Town, Wapda Town, Johar Town, Khana, Raiwind, Thokar Neazbage, Sabzazar and old city. 

ASSUMES CHARGE: Newly-appointed DIG, Patrolling, Rana Muhammad Iqbal assumed charge. On his arrival, he met with Additional IG, Patrolling, Dr Arif Mushtaq in central police office. All officers and his staff welcomed him.