Internal investigation report: Policemen not only raid dens but also run them

Report names 49 police officials involved in running 115 dens across the city.

KARACHI:

An internal Sindh police investigation report has identified 49 policemen involved in the operations of 115 narcotics and gambling dens, which fall within the limits of 89 police stations in Karachi.

“When it comes to shutting down the dens in the city, we often hear excuses from our juniors of facing ‘resistance’ in certain areas, but it is all a drama by the corrupt individuals who are involved themselves,” said the recently appointed chief of district East and Malir police, Munir Shaikh, while talking to The Express Tribune. “This so-called resistance is another name for covering the police officials’ own involvement in unlawful activities. These excuses are narrated before the senior police officials so that action isn’t taken to shut down the illegal dens.”

According to DIG Shaikh, he has directed the relevant officials to stop these activities and warned them of strict action if they fail to do so.

The lists of the officials pinpointed for their involvement have been sent to all the zonal police chiefs and they have been asked to direct the divisional superintendents, deputy superintendents, station house officers and head muharrirs working under their command to take action against these dens and send a certificate acknowledging that no such den was operating in their area.

Singled out

According to a copy of the report obtained by The Express Tribune, narcotic dens along with a few gambling dens have been specifically singled out. The report, which was issued on the directives of the Sindh IG, reveals that at least 115 dens (gambling and narcotics) are operating in Karachi with the connivance of police officials - majority of the dens, 39, are running in district South, followed by 29 dens in district Malir, 28 in district East and 19 in Central district.

Of the 49 policemen found involved in running these dens, 33 are police constables, eight are head constables, five are ASIs and three are SIPs. Besides the policemen, around eight “private persons” have also been named in the report for their involvement.

The dens, according to the report, were dealing in multiple narcotics, including hashish, heroin, wine, afyon, gurda, and kuppi. Few of them are also involved in Irani oil business.

At least 100 dens alone were operational in Lyari and multiple others in Ghas Mandi.

‘Seniors also involved’

“These lists prove that all such activities in the city cannot be run without the support of the police,” said a senior police official privy to the matter. “But the problem remains that even if you arrest and punish the officials involved, there will always be more who will join such activities.”

Another problem identified by the officials was the sensitive areas these dens come under. No-go areas, such as Lyari, Sohrab Goth, Landhi and Manghopir, house a large number of such dens but they are also home to terrorists, such as the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, and Lyari gangsters. “How can we close dens in these areas? Everyone, including our high-ups, knows that there will be bloodshed if we take action in these areas,” said a police inspector serving in a no-go area. Who can go there to stop these dens,” said inspector rank officer serving in one of these no-go areas.

On the other hand, the officials who have been named expressed their reservations over the lists, saying that the entire department was involved in these corrupt practices. “Do you really think that we could help run these dens without a nod from our seniors and without sharing money with them?” questioned one of the accused policemen. “The juniors are easy scapegoats - we are punished and shown to be guilty but for the sake of fairness, action should be taken across the board.” According to him, apart from the police, politicians and government officials were also involved in the operation of such dens.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 22^nd, 2013.