UMERKOT, Feb 12: The thriving trade of locally-manufactured liquor and other related substances have put the youth at risk and developed fears among opinion leaders.

Poet Ashraf Palli, local PPP leader Qamar Rajar and social activist Akbar told Dawn about the mushrooming growth of drug dens selling homemade liquor and narcotics openly in many towns and villages. They were of the opinion that the business was proving highly profitable.

The places for the illegal and immoral trade were Umerkot, Samaro, Kunri, Pithoro, Chhor towns and scores of villages, including Sadhar, Dhoronaro, Ghulam Nabi Shah, Dhakhan, Kharoro Charan, Raja Rasti, Sufi Faqir, Ath Meel, Hiral, Bacha Band and Saleh Bhambhro, they said adding sale of liquor and narcotics was on the rise with 10 distilleries operating only in Raja Rasti.

They deplored the attitude of drug peddlers for thinking of only filling their pockets irrespective of what the age of a buyer was. The locally-manufactured stuff was leaving horrible imprints on the health and moral of area youth and darkening their future prospects, leaders said.

A survey revealed that during the last three years around a dozen people in their prime died because of the excessive abuse of these substances with a recent example of a Hesco employee, Ayub Arisar, losing his life.

Police patronage is another factor encouraging peddlers to trade even hashish, opium and charas, said sources as according to them more than 350 distilleries were being covered by local police and excise department with thousands of gallons of local liquor being sold daily.

Elders have called on the authorities to take notice of the prevailing situation and help save future generation from the evils of drug abuse by banning all distilleries and joints.

DPO Umerkot and ETO Excise were not available for comments. Excise Inspector Sufi Qurban said that police frequently nab such people but due to political intervention it was difficult to purge the society of it.