CHITRAL, Oct 4, 2025: Acting on the special directives of District Police Officer (DPO) Lower Chitral Iftikhar Shah, the campaign against drug peddlers has been intensified throughout the district, said a spokesman for the police.
Under the supervision of SDPO Circle Chitral Sajjad Hussain and SHO City Police Station Chitral Inspector Ali Ahmad, a police team led by ASI Wazir Ali Shah carried out a successful operation during which 797 grams of charas were recovered from the possession of Amir Hamza, a resident of Dwashish Jughoor.
In another operation, IHC officer Wali Khan apprehended Niazur Rehman, a resident of Hon, and recovered 633 grams of charas from his possession.
The suspects have been arrested, and further investigation is underway. The Lower Chitral police reaffirmed their firm commitment to eradicating drugs from society in line with their slogan:
“Our resolve — a drug-free Lower Chitral.”
However, despite frequent arrests involving small quantities of narcotics, the uninterrupted flow of drugs across the length and breadth of Chitral remains a matter of serious concern.
It is significant to note that there is no cultivation of charas or opium within the district, and all forms of narcotics are believed to be transported from other parts of the country, ultimately reaching even the most remote villages of Chitral.
This persistent availability of drugs raises critical questions regarding the effectiveness of measures aimed at curbing trafficking at its source. While police continue to arrest small-time carriers and users on a regular basis, the main supply routes and trafficking networks appear to remain intact and largely unchecked, underscoring the need for stronger intelligence-driven operations and improved inter-district coordination to tackle the problem at its root rather than merely addressing its symptoms.