News
Monday, March 21, 2011
Tarnol, Golra drugs’ gateway to Islamabad
By Ikram Junaidi
ISLAMABAD: Tarnol and Golra areas have become gateways for smuggling drugs into the federal capital and relevant police stations, though they take actions against paddlers, never move to intercept the networks and thus strengthening the public perception that police get their share from the deadliest business.
Precincts of Golra and Tarnol police stations are the main source for drug trafficking into the city as well as interior Punjab and Sindh province and police officials at these stations are allegedly cooperating with the drug mafia. They said "it can be proved by the fact that police usually don't confiscate big drug consignments though almost every day more than one truck carrying drugs pass through the area, but police officials hardly seize the drug in huge quantity," said sources.
According to police record, 517 cases were registered against the drug smuggling in 2009 in the federal capital, out of which 135 were filed with Tarnol police station and 45 cases with Golra police station alone. Whereas in 2010, out of total 618 drugs related cases in the city, 113 were registered with Tarnol police station and 39 with Golra police station. Sources claimed that police close the files after arresting paddlers although they must unearth the networks running the business. Police take small amounts into custody in order to show they are performing their duty well, they added. Sources said if police high-ups were actually serious to eliminate the menace of drug trafficking from the federal capital and stop the transportation to the Punjab and Sindh they must take strict action against the police officials especially station house officers of both the police stations. There is a public impression that SHOs at both Tarnol and Golra Police Stations are appointed after they pay Rs 3 million or for that matter if they have 'contacts'.
Station House Officer (SHO) Golra Police Station Inspector Qasim Niazi, while talking to Daily Times, said it was not possible for the police to take action against drug transporters. He said that drugs are mostly smuggled from Dara Adam Khail and other tribal areas and are sold in the city.
Superinten-dent of Police (SP) Sadar Khuram Rasheed, while talking to this scribe, conceded that it was a serious issue. He said Inspector General of Police Wajid Ali Durrani had taken a serious notice over the issue and had given a one-week deadline to relevant SHOs to curb the menace. It will take time to get rid of drug trafficking, he contended.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk