Drug addicts in need of reintegration

In the absence of rehabilitation facilities and smuggler monitoring, drug abuse cases have spiralled uncontrollably

PESHAWAR:

Although patriarchal rules of propriety work well to strictly delineate the emotions, expressions, needs and expectations of men and women, drug addicts enslaved by the primitive desire of their id to seek pleasure and escape pain, realize far too soon that both suffering and the desperation for its relief are a shared human experience irrespective of the gender.

For 21-year-old Gulfishan, whose name has been changed to protect her privacy, her early traumatic childhood experience with her father’s drug addiction propelled her indulgence into substance abuse at an age when other children are usually preoccupied with studies, sports and video games.

“Upon reaching adulthood, I tried enrolling into a college but could not continue my education due to our unstable household environment. After some time, I started relapsing into my addiction and shortly after I left home. My mother tried bringing me back but I knew I could not go even a day without the substances. Last year, I was in a rehab centre for two months and my condition improved slightly, but due to the irregularity of the treatment, I started taking drugs again,” shared Gulfishan, who was spotted insufflating drugs with a male friend at a track near the City Railway Station.

Like Gulfishan, Basit, a local from Chamkani was once a healthy young man however, a dysfunctional family setup slowly lured him into a drug addiction. “Before getting married, I was treated by a rehab centre for six months and my condition improved. Afterwards, I spent Rs7000 to Rs8000 per month to continue my treatment. However, a relative wronged us to the point where I had only drugs to turn to for justice and escape,” said Basit, who further expressed his desire to once again live a decorous life.

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According to Dr Khalid Mufti, a senior rehabilitation expert, the increased affordability of drugs like ice has propelled the number of drug addiction cases across the province. “There is hardly any place in Peshawar now where ice is not available. With the passage of time, teenagers are also becoming drug addicts. Without adequate awareness on drugs, it is difficult to reduce addiction cases. Furthermore, many unregistered rehab clinics are offering their services, and the untrained specialists only worsen the addict's condition. Therefore, trained staff and better facilities at government and private rehab centres can improve recovery rates,” opined Dr Mufti.

According to data obtained by the Express Tribune from the Social Welfare Department, the number of cases of drug addiction have increased by almost 48 per cent during the past one year, with 2,300 cases reported last year and 3,400 reported this year, with both male and female drug addicts occupying the streets, markets, railway gates and canal banks of areas like Kadirabad, Gulbahar, Peshawar Bus Terminal, Supply Road, Jinnah Park Gate, Khyber Bazar, Hashtnagari Gate, Tehkal Kanyal Road, Hazar Khawani, Hayatabad Sewer Line and Chaghalpura Underpass Gate.

“This increase in cases of drug abuse has allowed the crime rate to grow. 80 per cent of the gangs involved in street crime include young boys who are addicted to ice. They don't have money to buy the drugs hence, they snatch two to three mobile phones at gunpoint every day, in order to buy Rs20,000 to Rs30,000 worth of drugs,” revealed a senior police officer.

In this regard, the recently appointed Peshawar Police Chief Qasim Ali Khan said, “Ice is definitely a big challenge for Peshawar. The number of people affected by ice and other drugs will decrease only after the government takes concrete steps for their rehabilitation. There will be no tolerance for the local production or smuggling of ice.”