The Sindh High Court on Tuesday issued notices to the province’s top officials on a petition alleging that drug dealing, gambling, and other illegal activities are rampant in Badin and Tando Muhammad Khan districts under the direct patronage and involvement of local police.
The constitutional petition was filed by two lawyer brothers, Fayaz Arain and Azeem Arain, who have sought judicial intervention to stop the open sale of various types of drugs in their hometown of Raju Khanani, Badin district, and the adjacent area of Tando Ghulam Haider.
The legal petition states that substances such as gutka, safina, local liquor (tharro), imported liquor, hashish, and crystal meth are readily available. The document further adds that illegal gambling and cockfighting are common, and all this allegedly continues unchecked due to police complicity, where dealers are given a free hand in exchange for heavy bribes.
The petitioners have also pointed out violations of the official rotation policy and claimed that several police officers and clerical staff have secured long-term postings at specific police stations to facilitate their involvement in the drug trade. The petition calls for a formal investigation into the assets of all involved personnel by anti-corruption and other investigative bodies.
A key demand in the petition is to unmask the influential figures who allegedly provide protection to these corrupt officials. In response, the court has formally summoned the Government of Sindh, the Chief Secretary, the Inspector General of Sindh, the DIG Hyderabad, the SPs of Badin and Tando Muhammad Khan, and various subordinate Station House Officers (SHOs) and CIA in-charges.
The petition concludes by stating that the collusion of certain political figures, social activists, and so-called “fake” journalists with law enforcement agencies has exacerbated the crisis. This network is blamed for the rise in drug use, which has led to an increase in theft and other social evils throughout the region.