Shadow Coresspondent
JAMMU, FEB 19:
Making a fervent appeal to all the elected Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) to cut their party lines and unanimously hold serious deliberation on increasing Drug menace and number of unreported deaths of youth due to suspected drug overdose, here in Jammu and Kashmir, Chairman, Team Jammu, Zorawar Singh Jamwal today demanded death penalty for those who are proved guilty for smuggling and selling Narcotics and ruining lives of future generation.
Addressing a press conference at Press Club Jammu, here today, Team Jammu chief along with Dr Ashish Gupta and Rajesh Kapoor today voiced their serious concern over increasing drug menace and despite number of initiatives taken by J&K Police and other allied agencies. Zorawar Singh Jamwal urged J&K administration to fulfil its commitment of dealing drug peddlers with iron hands.
Team Jammu chief observed that ahead of the upcoming Assembly Budget Session in Jammu and Kashmir, a fierce debate is unfolding over the proposed liquor ban. Several MLAs from the PDP and National Conference are preparing to introduce a private member’s bill advocating for a state-wide prohibition on liquor.
Zorawar Singh Jamwal who is heading an organization that has been fighting against drug abuse for over a decade, stated that if the government introduces a clear policy on liquor prohibition, Team Jammu will welcome it. He appealed to all the MLAs, though, from different political parties to hold series debate on Drug Menace in Assembly and unanimously pass a resolution that includes death penalty for those who are proved guilty for smuggling and selling Narcotics and ruining lives of future generation.
However, Team Jammu has also raised serious concerns about the government’s stance on the rising drug abuse in Jammu. He pointed out that hundreds of young lives have been lost due to drug addiction, and the crime rate has surged as a result of the increasing prevalence of drugs in the region.
Team Jammu has urged the government to address both liquor prohibition and the worsening drug crisis simultaneously. They demanded that authorities identify and take strict action against those responsible for the spread of drug abuse.
Expressing concern over the growing addiction among youth, Chairman, Team Jammu, Zorawar Singh Jamwal, emphasized the need for constant police surveillance at known drug-selling hotspots in Jammu and called for a comprehensive crackdown on drug smugglers.
Coming down heavily on those “black sheep” in administration who are taking sensitive issue of drug menace lightly, Zorawar Singh Jamwal pointed out that “Despite years of law enforcement efforts, the drug mafia remains deeply entrenched in Jammu and Kashmir. Why authorities have been unable to completely dismantle drug networks and urged the government to ensure transparency by maintaining accurate records of drug-related deaths. We call for concrete measures to break the supply chain and intensify anti-narcotics operations”.
A key issue highlighted during the press conference was the lack of reliable data on youth affected by drug addiction. Many cases go unreported due to social stigma, while drug-related deaths are often misclassified under other causes, such as accidents or health conditions. Furthermore, inadequate coordination between law enforcement, healthcare institutions, and social agencies makes it difficult to assess the true extent of the crisis. Without a dedicated tracking system, policymaking remains ineffective.
Team Jammu also emphasized the international dimension of the crisis, asserting that Pakistan has hatched a deep rooted conspiracy in fueling Narco-Terrorism in J&K. Zorawar Singh Jamwal urged the government to take a firm and proactive stance against cross-border drug smuggling, which directly contributes to the rising tide of drug-related violence. He further said that “direct fall out of this conspiracy is that “hundreds of young lives have been lost due to drug addiction, and the crime rate has surged as a result of the increasing prevalence of drugs in the region”.
