Drug dealers allegedly shoot anti-drugs activist: report

ISLAMABAD: A gang of alleged narcotics dealers attempted to kill a man who was working towards raising awareness on drug addiction, local media reports have informed.

Police said the victim, Mohammad Waseem, operates an office and clinic in G-7/1 where he has provided drug addiction treatment for the last couple of years. Moreso, Waseem had also been holding gatherings to raise awareness among the public, mainly in the Ramna, Shalimar and the G-6, G-7 and G-8 sectors of the city for the last couple of years.

According to the police, a group of drug dealers allegedly raided his office and shot him before fleeing. An injured Waseem then contacted Rescue 15 and was taken to a hospital. A case was later registered against the attackers with the Aabpara police on attempted murder charges.

Waseem informed that his efforts had helped to curb drug use causing a decrease in the drug business, particularly when it came to heroin and marijuana, gradually. As a result, the area’s drug dealers and peddlers were incurring losses of Rs200,000 a day in just G-7.

Waseem said that his awareness campaigns include meeting with addicts and their families and creating awareness among them about addiction. Addicts are also provided treatment with the help of philanthropists. He added that the local elders and the police have also been invited to the awareness sessions and that the police were provided details of drug dealers and peddlers to act against them.

Speaking about the shooting incident, Waseem revealed that due to his efforts, he had become an enemy of the drug dealers who have frequently threatened him. He alleged that on the day of the incident a member of a gang had come to his house and verbally abused him and left after he objected. A few hours later, they raided his office and fired at him, resulting in a bullet injury.

The police said that an inquiry into the matter has been initiated and efforts are in progress to trace and arrest those nominated in the FIR.