RAWALPINDI: Federal Minister for Narcotics Control Lt General (R) Syed Salahuddin Tirmizi has visited Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) Headquarters after assuming portfolio of Federal Minister for Narcotics Control.
He was welcome by Director General ANF, Major General Musarrat Nawaz Malik and senior ANF staff officers. Federal Minister laid floral wreath on ANF Shuhada Monument and offered Fateha for ANF martyrs who laid their lives in the line of duty.
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The Director General briefed the federal minister on counter narcotics achievements of ANF, current drug situation and major challenges being faced with regard to trafficking of narcotics, precursor chemicals and psychotropic substances. During the briefing, the DG highlighted that ANF has surpassed all previous records of its successes during 2017 and registered 693 cases besides arresting 771 persons involved in drug trafficking. The force seized 31,598kg opium, 26,564kg heroin, 92,695kg hashish, 55,444kg precursor chemicals and about 2000kg of synthetic drugs.
Eight drug trafficking organizations involved in heinous crime were also busted. The Minister was apprised that ANF is also undertaking drug demand reduction campaign through public awareness drives and community participation activities throughout Pakistan apart from running rehabilitation centres providing free of cost treatment to drug addicts.
He highlighted that Pakistan is sharing over 2600km porous border with Afghanistan and has become the major victim and transit country for Afghan Opiates and Hashish. However, Pakistan has enforced a very effective Drug Supply and Demand Reduction Mechanism despite massive challenges and limited resources. The Minister was also informed about the organizational requirements of ANF with respect to enhancement of manpower, development of infrastructure, acquisition of latest technology and establishment of more drug treatment centers in the country. The Minister appreciated ANF’s achievements, its role in combating trafficking of illicit drugs at national, regional and global level and assured his all-out support to DG ANF for addressing the inadequacies of the force to tackle the menace more vigorously.
