SAMANABAD SAFE HAVEN FOR DRUG SELLERS

LAHORE: Samanabad has become a safe haven for drug dealers, who are openly
selling drugs to youths in the area, The Post Team learnt Sunday.

To check the performance of the police in this regard, The Post Team
reached Samanabad police station without prior information, where it found
the police busy chatting with each other.

When a member of the team made a complaint to the duty officer about the
loss of his motorcycle, he replied, 'It doesn't matter; such incidents
occur daily. Come at night, a police team will accompany you to the spot
from where your bike was lifted." When the team asked about the SHO, a
constable said that the SHO had just left the office, but another cop said
that he had not been there since morning.

Later, the team contacted the locals of the area, who made a number of
complaints against the police. The traders of Samanabad Market said that
the police extorted money from them. When the team asked them why they did
not complain to the SHO, they said that the SHO himself sent his
subordinates to extort money from traders.

They said that the area had become a safe haven for drug sellers. They said
that they often complained to the SHO about the presence of drug sellers
but to no avail.

They accused the SHO of accepting bribes from drug dealers on a monthly basis.

Contacted Samanabad SHO Imran Khan on the phone, he acknowledged the
presence of drug dealers in his area, but he said that he was unaware of
their exact locations. He said he received a number of complaints from the
locals about the presence of drug dealers, but nobody was ready to give
their exact location.

When he was questioned about the complaints of traders, he said that he did
not know who received bribes from them however, he said that traders
themselves bribed policemen.