ISLAMABAD: The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) destroyed drugs worth Rs8 billion during the current year so far which is highest-ever quantity during the last five years.
This was told to Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control which met here under the Chairmanship of Senator Talha Mehmood.
The officials of the Ministry of Narcotics Control while briefing the committee members, said that 137 tonnes of drugs worth Rs8 billion had been destroyed during the current year which was the highest-ever quantity during the last five years and still last quarter of 2014 was left.
Giving details, the officials said that so far in the current year, 573 cases had been registered while 718 peddlers were also arrested by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF).
At which, standing committee Chairman Talha appreciated the performance of the ANF and said that with more concerted efforts, the menace of drugs could be eradicated from the society.
Senator Tahir Hussain Mashadi said though the performance of the ANF was meticulous yet there was a dire need for adopting anti-drugs measures to ensure a drug free society.
Mashadi suggested that the ANF should adopt a six-month special initiatives and contact everyone in every corner of the world for cooperation. “We should give a specific recommendations and involve all the countries and inform them of the measures taken to convince them to enhance cooperation in this regard”.
The ANF Commander apprised the meeting that the ANF operated without any discrimination. “We don’t care who is who and what is what during the operation and adopt zero tolerance against drug peddlers,” he added.
He told the participants that over the past 24 hours alone, the ANF had conducted nine raids in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. During the course of meeting, the officials of Ministry of Foreign Affairs were also present who briefed the Senate body about the cooperation which it extends to the ANF.
FO spokesperson Tasneem Aslam said that at international level, everyone had acknowledged that Pakistan had done a lot in controlling poppy cultivation.
“Problem arises when a Pakistani is caught on any airport in any part of the world on drug smuggling charges”, she added.
She maintained that the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) had given a clean chit to Pakistan as far as the drug production was concerned but the problem was drug trafficking.
She apprised the meeting that Russia was very much interested in cooperating in this area, saying that however there was a need that the communication between different ministries should be further enhanced to convey their problems to Foreign Affairs Ministry so that those problems could be discussed with other countries.
On the occasion, Senator Talha Mehmood recommended that cooperation between Narcotics Control and Foreign Affairs should be enhanced to bridge the gap between the two departments. He said that the fact could not be denied that more than 80 percent prisoners in foreign jails were caught on drug charges. During the meeting, the issue of ephedrine also came under discussion. However, the ANF Director General told that the case was subjudice and the meeting could not give any recommendation on the matter.
The ANF DG maintained that the force required technical assistance and modern equipment from foreign donors and agencies to make the department more efficient.
The ANF Secretary pointed out that though every country pledged cooperation with the ANF, yet nobody came forward until the Ministry of Foreign Affairs fight their case with other countries in a more effective manner.
The meeting was attended by Senator Tahir Hussain Mashadi, Senator Najma Hameed, officials of Ministry of Narcotics Control and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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