Peshawar   -   The rapidly spreading ice addiction has not only affected individuals but has also led to a surge in the crime rate in Peshawar.

According to sources, while other drugs are also being sold by smugglers, ice is more conveniently available in the streets of the provincial capital nowadays. Almost 90% of addicts being admitted for treatment at rehab centers are ice abusers, according to sources in the Social Welfare Department.

A recent incident wherein a young man was shot dead early in the morning in the Gulbahar locality of Peshawar was also linked to ice-related violence. A month ago, a young man in Gulbahar left home to bring roti from a nearby tandoor when two armed motorcyclists intercepted him and demanded money and valuables. The young man, confused, started running away, prompting one of the motorcyclists to open fire, killing him on the spot. Since the incident was caught on CCTV and the video went viral on social media, the Peshawar police were under tremendous pressure to arrest the accused. Finally, the two were arrested.

The police later stated that the shooter was under the influence of ice (crystal meth) while committing the murder. Officials also said that ice addiction has caused a sharp rise in the crime rate and has become a serious problem. Corruption is a major hurdle in battling ice and other drugs. Senior officers direct police stations to launch crackdowns on ice dealers, but cops often receive bribes and let drug dealers off scot-free. There have been instances where people have complained about drug sales, but cops received bribes to let criminals escape.

Some private rehab centers have also started businesses, only minting money from addicts’ families while lacking the required facilities such as doctors and medicines for treatment.

Senior officers of the police force now want to eliminate this drug, as it is damaging society and increasing the crime rate. However, they need to tame the police station-level cops to make them sincere in the operations against ice and other drugs.

Meanwhile, a single addict’s rehabilitation costs more than Rs30,000 a month at the state-run rehab center in Peshawar, according to the Social Welfare Department. There is often a fund shortage as the provincial government faces a financial crisis. In addition to the Social Welfare Department’s rehab center, dozens of private sector rehab centers are running, and the center registered with the Social Welfare Department receives regular funds for the treatment of addicts, in addition to fees submitted by addicts’ families.

Urgent measures are needed to handle the ongoing situation: ending corruption in law enforcement to take drug and ice dealers to task, ensuring robust support for addicts, and equipping rehab centers with facilities for proper treatment.