Drug addicts target local infrastructure in Karachi

Karachi’s worsening urban conditions are fuelling a growing problem as drug addicts increasingly move through neighbourhoods and major roads, stealing public infrastructure and other valuables to finance their addiction. The Express Tribune survey found that addicts and petty criminals had stripped railings from major roads, pedestrian bridges, parks and playgrounds, later targeting flyover pillars and Jersey barriers for steel. Thefts had also spread to neighbourhoods, with cables, gas meters, brass fittings, motorcycle parts, streetlight equipment and manhole covers being targeted. Poor lighting and garbage accumulation have further enabled the activity, with addicts cutting internet cables and removing equipment from street poles. Regional planner Dr Syed Nawaz-ul-Huda said the Sindh government was failing to fulfil its responsibilities. “Urban problems in Karachi are reaching unprecedented levels. Because of the authorities’ negligence, street criminals and drug addicts have been given a free hand,” he said. Read: Drug addicts chew into historic Teen Hatti bridge He said local government institutions were not receiving adequate funds, while elected representatives lacked the powers enjoyed by municipal authorities in other countries. “This is why Karachi has effectively become an abandoned city,” he said, adding that the number of drug addicts involved in such activities was relatively small and should therefore be manageable for the government. Muhammad Ahmed, a local, felt that streetlight failures, poor sanitation and theft by drug addicts were longstanding problems, but the situation had worsened several-fold over the past five years. “The main reason is police negligence and reduced patrolling. In the past, there was at least a deterrent effect associated with the police. They would question and arrest drug addicts, but that no longer seems to happen,” he said. Police sources blamed limited personnel and vehicles, saying VVIP movements, protocol and security duties, along with serious crime operations, left little capacity for checking drug addicts. Read More: Drug addicts, thieves ruin city’s urban facilities A police officer, speaking anonymously, said addicts were a “headache” because their poor health could create legal and departmental complications if they died in custody, while criticism from media and human-rights groups also discouraged arrests. Gulberg Town Chairman Nusratullah said local governments needed greater powers and resources. He claimed that garbage collection was the responsibility of the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board, which had an annual budget exceeding Rs40 billion. "Allocating this budget to towns and union councils could make Karachi cleaner. We have installed 1,600 streetlights in our area, but we need increased police patrolling," he urged. A Sindh Police official said the Inspector General of Police (IGP) had directed senior superintendents of police (SSPs) and station house officers (SHOs) to register FIRs against addicts caught stealing, initiate legal action and send them to rehabilitation centres. Dr Nasreen Aslam Shah, adjunct professor at the University of Karachi’s Department of Social Work, said the sale and purchase of drugs needed to be curbed immediately, while addicts should receive sustained treatment at rehabilitation centres. “There should be a control system ensuring that they cannot escape from these centres,” she said, adding that a two- to three-year programme providing food, medical treatment and vocational skills could help recovering addicts become productive members of society. “Unfortunately, neither the government nor NGOs appear to be serious about this issue,” she said. A relevant KMC engineer said the corporation oversees 105 major roads, with 80 to 95 per cent of streetlights functioning. Load-shedding and theft of switches and cables remained problems, while faulty lights were repaired on Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab’s directives. Several FIRs were registered, and SSPs were asked to act. With addicts increasingly targeting public infrastructure, the problem was becoming a threat to both Karachi’s infrastructure and citizen's safety.