ISLAMABAD: Secretary, Ministry of Narcotics Control, Iqbal Mehmood paid his first formal visit to Headquarters Anti Narcotics Force, Rawalpindi after assuming the charge of Secretary MNC. He was welcomed by Director General ANF, Major General Musarrat Nawaz Malik, HI (M) and Senior Staff Officers of ANF.
The secretary was briefed on counter-narcotics endeavors being rendered by ANF, professional achievements, current drug situation and major challenges being faced with regard to trafficking of narcotics, precursor chemicals and psychotropic substances. He was apprised that ANF is also vigorously undertaking drug demand reduction campaigns through public awareness drives and community participation activities throughout Pakistan; apart from running rehabilitation centers providing free of cost treatment to drug addicts.
It was briefed that during year 2017, ANF has registered 944 drug related cases, arrested 1067 offenders and seized 97693 kg Hashish, 31803 kg Opium, 26664 kg Heroin, 386 kg Cocaine, 1896 kg Synthetic Drugs, 89 kg Psychotropic Tablets and 56007 kg Precursor Chemicals. Moreover, ANF in its course of drug demand reduction programmes, has carried out 230 awareness raising activities against drug abuse and treated 573 drug addicts at its drug treatment centers being run at Islamabad, Karachi and Quetta.
The secretary was informed about construction of Female and Juvenile Drug Treatment Ward within existing Model Addicts Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre (MATRC) Karachi, construction of MATRC Peshawar in collaboration with KP government and establishment of MATRC at Sukkur.
He was also informed about the organizational requirements of ANF with respect to enhancement of manpower, development of infrastructure, increase in number of police stations, acquisition of latest technology and establishment of more drug treatment centers in the country.
The secretary lauded ANF’s achievements and its role as a specialized force in combating trafficking of illicit drugs at national, regional and global level. He assured his all-out support to ANF for addressing the inadequacies of the force to tackle the menace more vigorously.
