KARACHI, Mar 3 (APP): The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) Force Commander Sindh Brigadier Mansoor Ahmed Janjua on Tuesday stressed the need for enhanced collective efforts of international community against drug abuse and cooperation to control the drug smuggling.
Addressing a seminar on “International Co-operation and Pakistan’s Efforts against Drugs” organized by ANF Sindh at a local hotel, while highlighting the actions undertaken by the Force, he said that elimination of menace of drugs from the country in general and from the educational institutions in particular remained the primary focus of the ANF.
He informed the attendees of the seminar that conviction rate remained as 89% in 2020 with 79 convicted till January 31, 88% in 2019 with 828 convicted and 95% in 2018 with 942 convicted. As many as 10 acquitted by the courts till January 31, 2020.
ANF Sindh Force Commander said that the uneducated and poor being used as drug carriers by the Drug Trafficking Organizations, capacity lacking of law enforcement agencies, refugees, porous borders and easement rights and not tackling the opiates at source of near the source instead of fighting the trafficking in transit states are among the main factors affecting the drug situation in the country.
Discussing rehabilitation of drug addicts, Brigadier Mansoor Janjua apprised the participants that since inception of ANF’s Model Addicts Treatment & Rehabilitation Centre (MATRC) as many as 6131 patients were treated at Karachi.
Talking about challenges, he stressed upon the international community to support Pakistan morally and materially as being the transit country for drugs and precursors, there is a need to recognize its negative fall out and harmful effects on Pakistan, especially its youth. He also urged upon the need to tackle problem at source and eradication at source or as closer to source as operationally possible besides also proper control on crossing over of individuals from one country to the territory of other country.
The provincial Commandant of the Force also emphasized upon the repatriation of refugees. He also termed capacity gaps due to shortage of funds, resource constraints and non-availability of latest technical equipment as challenges against elimination of drug abuse.
Brigadier Mansoor Janjua said over 70 awareness seminars, lectures and such events were organized by the ANF Sindh in the city at educational institutions aimed at to raise awareness among the youth about hazards of drug abuse under ANF Sindh’s Youth Ambassador Program.
Speaking on the occasion Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar Baig honorary Consul General of the Republic of Yemen Sindh and Dean Consular Corps-Sindh Karachi said that 6.7 million people of the country aged 15-64 are opium users, the country’s future – the youth that comprise of 66 percent of the total population is worst effected as according to the last drug report of UNODC.
Praising ANF’s efforts, he said ANF at national level seized 121.46 MT drugs worth $5.6 billion and recently destroyed 52.57 MT drugs with international value of more than Rs. 28 billion.
Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar Baig also praised ANF Sindh’s “Young Torch Bearer” of Youth Ambassador Program, which, according to him is successfully working to control addiction of drugs in the youth at schools and colleges.
He said that it is a moment of pride that Pakistan is enjoying the status of “Poppy Free State” since 2001 however long porous border remains a challenge but due to the ongoing fencing by Pakistan Army the situation would soon be under control.
VNS Islamabad
