Minister aims drug-free Pakistan status
By Khalid Amin

ISLAMABAD—The Minister of Interior and Narcotics Control Lt. General (R) Hamid Nawaz Khan Monday directed the Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) to launch vigorous campaign against narcotics and drug peddlers to achieve the drug-free Pakistan status this year.
Presiding over a high level meeting of Ministry of Narcotics Control here, he assured all possible assistance and support to ANF for curbing drug menace.
Earlier, Secretary Narcotics Control Jalil Abbas briefed the Ministerabout the on-going and new projects of the ministry.
Regional Director ANF Brig Pervaiz Sarwar told the Minister that ANF is making all out efforts to achieve the drug free status for the country this year.
He said Pakistan was about to achieve the status last year but due to increase in opium cultivation in Afghanistan the country could not achieve the poppy-free status. He said Pakistan is not a drugs producing country but being theneighbour of Afghanistan is a victim and transit country.
The Afghan situation is badly damaging Pakistan’s anti drug efforts, he said adding Afghanistan’s opium harvest, which has been on the increase for the last six years jumped by 34 percent this year, breaking all previous records with cultivation on over 193,000 hectares (476,903 acres) and as estimated yield of about 8,200 tons.
He said ANF is cognizant of the grave situation and has increased its vigilance not only on the entry and exit points of the country but also on the Mekran Coast by establishing two new police stations at Gwadar and Panjgur.
Since 1995 ANF has seized 35,530.97 (kgs) of opium, 70,727.32 (kgs) of heroin and 440852.83 (kgs) of hashish.
It has also arrested 3,132 foreigners in 2,900 cases while trying to traffic 3,692.333 (kgs) of opium, 5,771.787 (kgs) of heroine and 8,239.65 (kgs) of hashish.
It is worth highlighting that Pakistan stands first in the seizure of narcotics drugs in the world, he said. On the prosecution side, ANF has achieved commendable success. Its conviction rate is 86.4 percent which is the highest in the world.
Since 1995 ANF has registered 7,371 cases out of which 4,736 were convicted and only 736 were acquitted whereas 542 cases are lying pending for various reasons.
ANF has so far frozen assets worth Rs. 4,584.53 million belonging to drug runners.
In addition to interdiction of drugs, ANF also undertakes checking of Hajj Pilgrims on the instructions of the government, after year 2000, not a single case of narcotics trafficking has been detected at Pakistan, he said.
“Demand reduction is another very important task of ANF in our struggle against drugs,” he said adding ANF recently requisitioned a study, to ascertain the extent of prevalence of drug addiction in the country.” The Minister appreciated the efforts and performance of ANF.