Drug Addiction in Makuran

Turbat, the district headquarters of Kech and the second-largest city of Balochistan, is known as a city of poets, political leaders, and fearless people. Today, however, it is known for another, darker cause: drug addiction. What was once concealed in a few corners is now an open wound, apparent on almost every street, in every bazaar, and in numerous homes. Drug addiction in Turbat is not just a health issue. It is a social, economic, and generational crisis that is destroying the future of Makran.

Walk through Turbat city, from Main Bazaar to Singanisar, from Absor to Taleemi Chowk, from Gannih to Airport Road, and you will see young men, some even children aged 12 to 14, sitting in desperate situations, begging or lost in addiction. The most commonly used drugs include crystal meth, locally called “ice” or “sheesha,” heroin, opium, weed, locally called charas, and marijuana. Ice is now considered one of the most harmful and commonly used drugs, making up more than 65% of new addiction cases in Turbat since 2022, according to local health workers. A local youth worker wrote on December 10, 2024, that several young people are becoming affected due to a lack of education and awareness. If this condition continues, the future of our youth will be very bleak. Another local from Turbat said, “No home here is left untouched by this heartbreaking unlawful act.” The number of addicts has reportedly increased by more than 50% in the last three to four years, according to local reporters and social activists.

While Turbat city is the center of the crisis, the situation is even worse in the remote tehsils and villages of Kech, where there is little media coverage, limited treatment facilities, and weak law enforcement. People from these areas have held sit-ins and marches at Shaheed Fida Chowk in Turbat, describing their towns as danger zones. On July 19, 2020, hundreds of people from across Kech held a large rally that started from Buleda and ended at Fida Chowk, Turbat.

In Buleda, once famous for its date palms and poets, the situation is painful. Buleda is now described as sinking into a deep crisis of hard-drug addiction. In villages of Buleda such as Bit, Solband, Menaz, and Koshk, residents say that young people are directly affected. To meet their drug needs, some become involved in robberies and other crimes. The people of Buleda say that drugs are brought from across the border and sold openly to school-going children. Local estimates suggest that in some towns of Buleda, up to 30% of young men aged 15 to 30 are involved in some form of drug use.

Dasht is one of the largest tehsils of Kech and comprises areas such as Khudabadan, Sanghi Road, Kolahoo, Balicha, and Peerinelamb. A resident who moved from Dasht because of drought said that he started using drugs during childhood along with many of his friends. He now says, “The drug has its roots in my veins, and it has become increasingly difficult for me to recover.” In Dasht, disturbing reports suggest that drugs are not only sold in shops but also inside homes, and that women are also involved in selling them. Numerous children have become orphans, and several women have been widowed at a young age due to addiction-related deaths. Dasht remains largely deprived of development and lacks adequate hospitals and treatment facilities for addicts.

Tump, which has produced numerous political leaders, is still struggling with serious problems. During a visit amid the coronavirus outbreak in 2020, locals in Tump stated that drug dealers were operating openly. Tump tehsil includes towns such as Gomazai, Siraza, New Abad, Pulabad, and Balnigor. Residents of Tump say that the drug trade has become extremely common these days, contributing to the destruction of the dreams and futures of hundreds of young people.

Mand is situated on the Iran border and is a major route for the illegal transportation of narcotics. On October 21, 2019, the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) seized 2,600 kg of charas hidden inside a secret compartment of a tipper truck at the Nelant check-post near Turbat. In another operation, the ANF found 8 kg of heroin hidden in an empty area along the Kech-Mand Road near Kech Kor. In 2023, Customs officers seized 88 kg of hashish worth Rs. 264 billion on the M-8 road near the Kech River in Turbat. Because it is a border area, ice, opium, and hashish can enter from across the border relatively easily and are available at lower prices. Villages such as Tump, Buleda, Bachahee, and Alandor Mand are also affected.

Beyond these four major tehsils, other remote areas are equally affected. Zamuran is a mountainous and highly remote tehsil, with very limited health facilities, poor roads, and few educational opportunities. Hoshab, also known as Hushab, lies on the Turbat-Hoshab-Panjgur highway. The ANF and other agencies have seized large quantities of drugs there. On August 14, 2023, the ANF seized 99 kg of ice, 50 kg of opium, and 73 kg of hashish near Satellite Town on the Turbat-Panjgur Highway in a single operation. Shapuk and Kasak are small villages between Hoshab and Turbat where addiction is reportedly spreading among school-age children because these areas are transit points. Closer to the city, Dannuk, Bahman, Gokdan, Absar, and Singanisar are also becoming notorious for drug-related problems. Dannuk is especially infamous following several high-profile cases in 2020–2021.

One of the most heartbreaking examples of how drugs can destroy talent is the famous Balochi poet Rashid Deedar. Rashid Deedar is regarded as one of the finest writers and poets of the Balochi language and is a young literary talent from Turbat. His poetry collection, “Don’t Fall in Love with a Human Being,” attracted widespread attention. According to the Daily Makran Times in 2023, it is unfortunate for the Baloch nation that he became a victim of drugs, representing a huge loss to society. Reports from Voice of Balochistan describe him as often being seen in dirty clothes, with messy hair and a dusty beard, walking through the streets of Turbat. Some people label him a drug user and psychologically disturbed, while others describe him as a gifted poet comparable to Sagar Siddiqui of Lahore. His story is often cited by youth activists in Turbat as an example of how society can lose its bright minds to addiction.

There are five major causes behind the spread of drug addiction in Turbat and its remote areas, including Buleda, Dasht, Tump, Mand, Zamuran, Hoshab, Shapuk, Kasak, Balnigor, Dannuk, Bahman, and Gokdan.

The first is unemployment and poverty. Kech has a large youth population but limited employment opportunities. The unemployment rate among young people in Kech is estimated at over 45%.

The second is a lack of education and entertainment. There are few recreational opportunities, such as cinemas, good sports grounds, and libraries, particularly in remote areas such as Zamuran and Dasht.

The third is the easy availability of drugs and weak law enforcement. Kech lies near the border region of Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan. A dose of ice can cost less than a meal in Turbat, reportedly around Rs. 200–300. Locals claim that some drug users are supported by influential people.

The fourth is a lack of parental awareness and social breakdown.

The fifth is psychological trauma and emotional distress.

The effects are devastating. In terms of health, ice can cause rapid mental deterioration, weight loss, paranoia, and heart problems. In terms of crime, addicted people may become involved in robberies and other crimes to obtain money for drugs. Street crimes, motorcycle theft, and house burglaries have reportedly increased by more than 70% in Turbat, Tump, and Buleda between 2020 and 2024, according to local police records. For families, the consequences are equally painful. A mother in Dasht said that two of her sons were affected by addiction and that she sold her own jewellery to pay for their treatment.

What needs to be done is clear. Strict action should be taken against drug dealers, not just users. There is not a single well-equipped, free treatment center serving the entire Makran Division. We need government-run rehabilitation centers in Turbat, Buleda, and Tump. Schools, mosques, and community leaders should conduct awareness campaigns in every town. The government must establish technical training centers and sports complexes to provide young people with education, skills, and healthy recreational opportunities.

Turbat is a city of talent. Its youth can write poetry like Rashid Deedar, play football, and lead movements. They should not be fading away on the footpaths with a syringe in their hands. Saving Turbat from drugs—from Buleda to Dasht, from Tump to Mand, from Zamuran to Hoshab, from Shapuk to Dazin, and from Balnigor to Dannuk, Bahman, and Gokdan—is not just the responsibility of the police. It is the collective duty of every parent, teacher, community leader, elder, and young person.