Drug Addiction in Pakistan’s Fishing Community: Women and Children at Risk in Rehri Goth

“Every mother here has lost a son or two to drugs as they are sold openly,” said the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum field media coordinator. “In recent months, almost every day one or two people, including women and boys as young as eight years, die” (1). This grim reality defines life in Rehri Goth, a coastal settlement of 70,000 near Karachi. Women, once central to family life and the local economy through fishing-related activities, are now the sole providers as men succumb to addiction (1). In 2019 alone, over 150 young men died from heroin overdoses, mostly through self-injection. By 2024, domestic violence, abandonment, and divorce have risen dramatically, with 850 cases reported this year (2). The crisis is fueled by economic, social, and systemic failures, with addiction becoming a coping mechanism for most women. Rehri Goth’s addiction crisis roots back to the 1970s when improved infrastructure connected the settlement to nearby cities, inadvertently facilitating the drug trade. Heroin, crystal meth, and cannabis became widely available, while theft of fishing nets and a lack of alternative livelihoods left fishermen struggling (3). Women are introduced to heroin and other substances by family members, such as their spouses, leading to devastating consequences. Addiction often results in the loss of loved ones, with children being especially vulnerable. In some communities, multiple generations are affected, with children as young as 8 years old suffering from and sometimes dying due to substance abuse. Early marriages, poverty, and the influence of addicted in-laws worsen the situation for women, while failing understaffed schools, no recreational facilities, and limited job opportunities leave the youth vulnerable (5,6). Government neglect and inadequate infrastructure deepen the crisis.