Mirwaiz speaks

Mirwaiz Moulana Umar Farooq has been very late to identify the growing drug menace in Srinagar city. As a religious head of the main Mosque of Srinagar city he should have talked about this problem decades back. Basically Srinagar city is now witnessing a growing and flourishing trade for the drug peddlers and the police is having complete information and knowledge about this anti-social activity. Better late than never, Mirwaiz has hogged the headlines by appealing people to cooperate with police and help them to arrest these drug peddlers in Srinagar city.

Terming the growing drug and liquor abuse in Kashmir as a cause of great concern Mirwaiz appealed parents, teachers, Ulema, Mohalla Committees and Masjid Committees to wake up to this reality and take steps in this regard. He said that availability of drugs and its distribution has become a well organized trade in Kashmir, especially in Srinagar where during evening hours; the peddlers openly distribute drugs to youth at graveyards, parks, play grounds and anywhere.

He further said that unfortunate part is that the drug peddlers are targeting even school children and students in colleges and universities. Figures suggest that those affected are not in hundreds but in thousands, including girls and even professionals are falling prey to it.

Mirwaiz said that if the situation continues to remain so, time is not far when Kashmir will turn into the State of Punjab, where drug abuse is most rampant. Drug abuse is fast spreading in the downtown areas of Srinagar and it’s the primary responsibility of the parents to give time to their children and be aware of their activities, to help them keep away from drugs.  Shahr-e-Khass areas, especially those adjoining Makhdoom Sahab are reportedly the hub of drug business as almost every day complaints about drug distribution pour in from this area. Besides this, Miwaiz said, other areas include Malkha, and its adjoining areas. He said people residing in these areas have to be vigilant in this regard.