A Day Below the Line
By Hamid Ali
I went on a mission to Pirwadhai, Rawalpindi because I heard many rumors about the market of the drugs which has taken place in this area. I waited 3 hours before I got the first clue.
There was a group of men who came to me and asked, "Baraf le le, Baraf." I got shocked because they were not having any ice, and this sentence in Urdu means "get the ice" as they were selling something.
I continued following them but pretending to buy some cold drinks instead of following them. I got them selling the drugs to many customers. Many of them were in good form and many were distructed.
I observed many people who were living less than a dog. A dog cleans himself and tries to prevent the urine from touching him. These addicted people were fully dressed in the smell of human waste.
Still, they are managing to get enough money for drugs. They sacrifice their food and cleanliness in order to meet their staunch need for drugs. They can't survive without it, and they can't survive with it.
I also observed some of them with torn body parts and no healing. There was a police officer at a slight distance who was enjoying his cold drink and was laughing.
There were many buses parked in Pirwadhai bus station. I also knew that all of these addicted people are also involved in small theft crimes. Do you know how these people reach below the line? So the story starts with the people getting small beds on rent below the open sky. It costs around 100 rupees in Pakistan, which is somehow equal to 0.35 USD.
Many people rent it and somehow they are offered the drugs by those people who also offered me. Initially, they are charged less and with the need they are charged as much as they can afford. Then they settle in this area, forgetting their identity. The man who was selling the drugs looked at me with killer eyes when he observed me.
These drug addicts have a brain chemistry which allows them to be used for any illegal purpose. Many people can utilize them. Making them ready for a bomb blast is just a piece of cake, and you just need to dress them and push a remote button once they reach their destination.
Interesting factors include the dogs and the culture of this area, which is often associated with shouts from different people at various times for their certain purposes. The stink is more than foul here. It seems as if many people have died here and no cleaning after that has happened.
I have a personal question for the authorities: where are they? If such things are present in such an important part of Pakistan as Rawalpindi, which is considered the center of the country, then we can't say that there is any security in this area. Recently, more than 5 girls have been killed in Islamabad, which is considered a twin city to Rawalpindi.
When I was coming from Quetta a few days back, I observed that our bus was being stopped at 25 check posts, but even after that, they were unable to detect the drugs which were present on the top of the tire on the back-left side. I also discovered thousands of cars and hundreds of thousands of electronic objects which came directly through the border without any tax or proper checking.
My friend's father was a junior officer in the police there. He was my neighbor and he would always tell me the secrets. His name was Kaleem, and he was really an enjoying personality. He told me that the border force takes money and lets the material on its path. Afghanistan is one of the famous countries known for drugs due to its natural capacity to produce it.
This was the complete trace of drugs which has destroyed thousands of lives in Pakistan. I was thinking, if these addicts with cuts and less than a body ever had a mom or dad. If yes, then how are they in such a foul place? I am unable to answer this question based on my current knowledge, but I leave it to the critical readers who are experts in this field.
I have been also stuck in this place of bus terminal before when the KPK's Chief Minister attacked Islamabad, and forces killed or injured some of them and pushed the remaining of them back as they were on some suspicious mission according to Pakistani media. Pakistani military says that it never compromises on its national security.
That is why it has been regarded as the world's best army by many well-known vloggers and media channels. The USA also praised its skills in the dogfight which happened in the skies of India.
I will be continuing my research on some of the dangerous issues going on, but till then I must remain in different camouflages.
A boy in a disguise with no fear
Can point the issues observed rare
It is said truth has never to be mentioned
The danger increases with an expression
Biography of the writer
Hamid Ali is a Pakistani writer, educator, and student of English Language and Literature at the International Islamic University Islamabad. Known for his investigative spirit and bold commentary on social issues, he has contributed thought-provoking pieces on drug addiction, social injustice, and urban neglect in Pakistan.
In addition to his academic pursuits, Hamid Ali teaches foreign students up to A-Level and high school from the USA, Canada, and the UK through Campus 92, an educational institute based in Faizabad, Rawalpindi. His teaching focuses on international standards of English language and literature.
Ali has also prepared for Pakistan's highly competitive CSS (Central Superior Services) exams, demonstrating a deep interest in governance, justice, and national development. Through his writings, he seeks to spark public awareness and hold institutions accountable, often working under different disguises to gather firsthand evidence of the problems faced by marginalized communities.
