KARACHI: Anti-Narcotics Force’s (ANF) Sindh Joint Director Col Asim has said that the force seized 215 metric tons of narcotics worth over $3 billion last year.
He said this while addressing a seminar on Prevention of Drug Abuse, organised by the Karachi University’s Department of Social Work.
“ANF has been declared one of the best anti-narcotics agencies of the world by the United Nations’ office of Drugs Control,” he added.
According to Colonel Asim, the world’s drug economy is worth $435 billion and around $225 billion is needed for drug treatment of patients globally. He said that Karachi and Sukkur are the main hubs of narcotics in Sindh, with the most commonly recovered drug in Pakistan being hashish, followed by heroin, opium and cocaine.
“Lyari, Baldia, Golimar, Hub Chowki, New Karachi, Orangi Town and Saddar are the areas where most of the drug addicts reside in,” said Col Asim, adding that 59% of the drug addicts in Pakistan belong to the 20-29 age group. Only 1% of drug addicts are graduates and 57% of them are unemployed while 47% take drugs due to peer pressure, he added.
Col Asim shared that 685 deaths per day are occurring daily in the world due to drug usage or overdose, which is higher than the number of deaths resulting from terrorism. Global drug trade occurring from Afghanistan makes its way from Pakistan, which is why we are the most affected, he said.
According to him, 40% of narcotics from Afghanistan are smuggled to other countries through Pakistan. The joint director stressed that that police and excise and taxation department have the responsibility to stop drug usage on streets.
