rawalpindi - The snooker and other indoor games’ clubs operating till late in the night are spoiling youth in the city, as exchange of abusive statements among the players, smoking and drinking can widely be witnessed in these places.

Snooker balls bumping into one another, rising smokes, players slipping cards with quick and clever moves, the spectators dancing to the tune of arrogant music while the gamblers coining money is what can be witnessed at these clubs.

What more happens inside is a mind-disturbing story; as not only the local players but strangers also frequently visit these clubs to gamble. Nevertheless, no action is taken against these clubs operating in small buildings. Regular visits lead to playing more, spending money and quarrelling with the rival player by loosing temper and ending up with physical brawls.

In crowded areas such as Raja Bazaar and Westridge, and many other localities, these clubs operate inside the densely-populated clusters, where the police visit very less often.

Besides the regular visitors, these clubs attract minor boys, who soon are involved in the immoral activities while copying the senior players. These clubs also hold competitions among the players, and the players as well as the spectators also bet on games. Thus, the youth not only waste their precious time, but also the hard-earned money of their parents.

Violent scuffles also take place in these clubs. Recently, a player was hit in the head for continuously winning games. The victim’s face was covered with blood and the police was called in, which took both the victim and the offender along them for further investigation.

However, the owners of these clubs are not concerned whatever activities as maximising profits look to be their only motive, for which they operate till 3 am. The clubs charge up to Rs100 for a single game, while the teenagers keep on playing.

Parents of the visitors of such clubs are often told lies so that they remain unaware of the late night activities of their sons.

Sajjad, father of a snooker player, who frequently visited these clubs, narrated that his son used to tell him that he was working at a call centre, therefore came late due to nature of his job. “I came to know only after I found my son had been addicted to drugs following his senior playmates”, he said. The father said that ever since he was feeling depressed as his son was not even bothering about his advice now. He said that his son had also given away interest in his studies due to these indoor games’ clubs. Interestingly, Raheela, wife of a snooker club owner, said that they don’t allow their sons to visit such club, even the one owned by her husband, saying the environment there is sure to spoil the youth. My 8-year-old son, Ali, forces his father to take him to the club but his father just refuses by saying that the place was not suitable for him.

On the other hand, owners of these clubs remain very much polite to the young boys to attract them to indoor games.

Mother of a 20-year-old snooker player said that she could not sleep until her son comes home. He will argue with me if I try not to let him go to these clubs, the mother told of her son. The mothers should control their sons from the very beginning, otherwise; once addicted, they are hard to give away the habit, she said.

-The writer is a student of the IIUI.