Senate body for increased coordination to check narcotics business
By Asim Hussain

ISLAMABAD—The Senate Standing Committee on Narcotics Control has expressed its dissatisfaction over the performance of the Ministry of Narcotics Control for not taking appropriate steps to implement the decisions to check the menace of illicit drugs.
The Committee met at the Parliament House with Senator Mrs. Kalsoom Perveen in the Chair to discuss policy regarding inter-provincial coordination and all aspect of Narcotics and dangerous drugs.
The Committee urged the Ministry to gear up efforts to increase inter-provincial coordination and synergize various forums set up to control the menace of drugs and review the implementation of various organizations and also evaluate narcotics interdiction operations of the law enforcement agencies.
It also called for chalking out strategies to effectively control the drug trafficking.
It was observed that as most of the precursors chemicals like toluene, potassium permagnate and Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) were being used by various industries, it recommended that NOC for import of precursors chemicals should be issued by Ministry of Narcotics Control within one month and appropriate check should be maintained on the importers and the end users. Members of the Committee were of the view that they were not against the industrial growth in the country. However, an appropriate check and balance should be there to discourage misuse, if any, they observed.
It was informed that all out efforts were being made to properly monitor and check the menace of drugs in the country.
The meeting was attended by Senators Nisar A. Memon, Sardar Mehmood Khan, Mrs. Tahira Latif, Mir Israrullah Khan, Syed Muhammad Hussain, Maulana Gul Naseeb Khan and Rehmatullah Kakar. Minister for Narcotics Control, Mr. Ghaus Bux Khan Mehar and senior officials of the Ministry of Narcotics Control, ANF and Ministry of Commerce were also present.