SHC reprimands police over Karachi's drug crisis

The Sindh High Court (SHC) reprimanded senior police officers for failing to control the worsening drug problem of the metropolis and issued a contempt of court notice to the provincial police chief for defying its orders.

The bench rebuked police for ineffective enforcement, sheltering of drug peddlers, and showing little seriousness in tackling what the court described as a growing public health and security emergency.

The harsh remarks were delivered during the hearing of a bail plea filed by Bakhti Rawan, a man accused of being a repeat drug offender with 27 cases registered against him. The plea was ultimately withdrawn by the petitioner's lawyer after sustained judicial scrutiny and damning revelations presented by senior police officers, leading the court to dispose of the application. The court expressed its displeasure when informed that the IG Sindh Police had not complied with a summons to appear in person. Instead, AIG Karachi Javed Alam Odho was present in the court. "We summoned the IG Sindh. Where is he?" the judge asked.

The public prosecutor responded that the IG was in Islamabad due to an emergency. The judges were unconvinced. "What emergency arose that prevented the IG from appearing before this court? We fixed this hearing in advance," the judge said, adding, "The IG considered it more important to be in Islamabad than in court. This is unacceptable." The court issued a contempt of court notice to the IG, stating that it was not the court's role to offer grace periods for compliance but to make legal decisions. "We are not here to give time. We are here to enforce the law," the judge remarked.

The DIG District East, while briefing the court, said that accused Bakhti Rawan was linked to 27 criminal cases - most of them related to narcotics. He said the accused had been convicted in three cases, acquitted in 10, and was currently on trial in 11. The DIG added that the petitioner had misled the court by claiming he had never been arrested before.

The court questioned how the accused managed to escape law enforcement repeatedly while being found with drugs. "How is it that every time the police arrive, he abandons the drugs and disappears?" the court asked.

The judges issued strong remarks on the overall failure of drug enforcement in the city. "Karachi is flooded with drugs. Addicts are sleeping under flyovers. Drugs are being sold in schools and colleges," the court said. "If someone is caught with drugs, the recovery is always shown as 50 grams. If a supplier is arrested, the recovery is magically 500 grams. Why is there never a large-scale seizure?"

The court warned that drug trafficking posed a direct threat to the future of the city's youth. "Not just the poor, but even highly educated people are now involved in selling drugs. If nothing is done, the next generation will be destroyed. What will happen to the children who take 'ice' and then try to build their lives?"

AIG noted that special task forces were supporting local police units, and other agencies, including the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), were also providing assistance.

Odho said drug networks regenerate quickly even after arrests," he said. He added that most narcotics are smuggled into Karachi from Afghanistan through K-P and Balochistan.

He lamented institutional resistance, especially from schools reluctant to cooperate for fear of reputational damage, and societal stigma that hinders reporting. "Saving children from drugs matters more than saving face," Odho asserted. Moreover, people are scared to name dealers. Even witnesses hesitate to come forward.