Pakistani Offensive Against Taliban Pushes Tribesmen Off the Land and Threatens Their Hash-Based Livelihood PESHAWAR , PAKISTAN - For decades, Taj Muhammad Afridi had been making stoners mellow around the world. By now, at his family homestead in the Tirah Valley in Pakistan's tribal belt, hundreds of marijuana plants should be full-grown, some as tall as a one-story house. The traditional harvest would be in October, and that's when Afridi would start making some of the world's most sought-after hashish. [continues 1220 words]
Secretary Narcotics Control spells out steps Interview Kaswar Klasra Monday, July 13, 2015 - Islamabad-Meet the man whom Nawaz Sharif led federal government picked up last year in November as federal secretary Narcotics Control tasking him to save million of Pakistanis from the brunt of Afghan drug. Sitting on an un-easy wooden chair and putting on black Shalwar Kameez, Pakistan's national dress, Ghalib A Bandesha looked fresh and well determined. Coming from Police Service of Pakistan, Ghalib A Bandesha's excellent service record and achievements as head of 'Federal Investigation Agency' prompted higher authorities to appoint him as federal secretary Ministry of Narcotics Control which deals with making policies to counter ever growing use of drugs by country's youth and transit of Afghan drug worth multi-billion US dollars from Pakistan through various routes especially air and sea. [continues 675 words]
QUETTA: Canadian High Commissioner Heather Cru-den and UNODC Representative in Pakistan Cesar Guedes handed over essential operational equipment to the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) of Balochistan. The assistance package comprising high-powered binoculars, night-vision devices and personnel safety equipment was received by Brig Adnan Azim, the ANF Commander of Balochistan. The Canadian High Commissioner acknowledged challenges of drug trafficking being faced by Pakistan as the main transit country and the first line of defence. "I sincerely hope that the equipment will add strength to the ANF's operational capacity against drug trafficking in the country, which will have a greater impact on the world at large," she said. [continues 134 words]
QUETTA- Canadian High Commissioner, Ms. Heather Cruden, and UNODC Representative in Pakistan, Mr. Cesar Guedes Thursday handed over essential operational equipment to the ANF Balochistan. The assistance package comprising of high powered binoculars, night vision devices and personnel safety equipment was received by Brigadier Adnan Azim, Force Commander ANF Balochistan. Staff from UNODC Pakistan and Canadian High Commission Islamabad were also present on the occasion. The Canadian High Commissioner acknowledged the challenges of drug trafficking being faced by Pakistan as the main transit country and first line of defence. [continues 193 words]
Sir: The statistics of drug abuse in Pakistan, compiled by the report 'Drug Use in Pakistan, 2013', has shocked the legal and medical fraternities. According to this report, more than 4.2 million people are suffering from drug addiction. Most of the time habit-forming drugs are used for recreational purposes. With time, the body demands frequent use, until a time comes when the person can no longer function normally in the absence of such drugs. In Pakistan, opium extracts (hashish and heroin) and Indian hemp are commonly used items. Criminology directly links social crimes and law and order situations to drug usage. The repetitive use of these chemicals causes psychological dependence. When financial and legal constraints make drugs unobtainable, people show violent behaviour and resort to theft, robbery, abduction for ransom, targeted killing and other street crimes. Sociology too blames addiction for disturbing social peace and progress. [continues 105 words]
HAFIZABAD-The district administration has stressed the need for preparing a comprehensive and integrated plan by the government departments, NGOs and parents to eliminate the menace of drugs and drug addiction which has ruined most of the families. While addressing the meeting of District Anti-Narcotics Committee, he stressed that drug peddlers deserved zero leniency but drug addicts deserved wholehearted sympathies so that they could be rehabilitated and make them useful citizens. The meeting was also addressed by DO (Cord) Allah Ditta Warraich, EDO (Education) Mehr Muhammad Ashraf Harl, DO (Excise & Taxation) Naeem Ahmad, District Officer (Health) Dr Mumtaz Ahmad, DO (Social Welfare) Muhammad Nawaz Gohar, DO (Sports) Majid Hussain, Assistant Director Atif Imdad Tarar. [continues 117 words]
Teachers can play a significant role in creating awareness among students about drug abuse in Pakistan. This was said by International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) President Dr Sahibzada Sajidur Rehman while addressing a public awareness seminar at the old campus of the university, said a press release. The event was organised by the IIUI's Psychology Department. The department's dean, Dr NB Jumani, Acting Psychology Chairperson Dr Seema Gul, Assistant Professor Dr Tahir Khalily and a large number of students attended the seminar. [continues 120 words]
LAHORE - The use of drugs means to invite death. All the members of society should have an eye on drug addiction and work hard to stop the addicts from using drugs. Only the teachers can create awareness among the new generation about the bad effects of drugs on their lives. Smoking of cigarettes and Shesha are dangerous trends that lead to drug addiction and then to ultimate end that is death. The need of the hour is to create awareness among the masses specially youth about the dangers of addiction. [continues 666 words]
It's 2:30 am and the party is still going strong. Several young, well dressed couples sit around one of the many tables that surround the dance floor. On the surface of the table, amid an array of glasses are three bottles of Black Label, of which only one is now half-full. A girl in a short red dress leans towards her boyfriend who is wearing an Armani suit and slurs: "Honey, I think I'm a little too drunk..." [continues 3147 words]
Umer Gul could very easily pass for just another addict on the unforgiving streets of Karak in Khyber-Paktunkhwa. Dressed in a filthy shalwar kameez and scratching his nose, he wanders aimlessly. Suddenly, he stops short, stares at nothing in particular then starts mumbling to himself. Eight years ago he was quite different -- a well-dressed, cheerful young man with a bright future ahead of him. But even that sad story is one that a great deal of addicts and their families could identify with. [continues 729 words]
Women Drug Pushers Make Mockery Of Law * 198 accused issued arrest warrants for not appearing before court in 2011 ISLAMABAD: Taking disadvantage of leniency of laws most of females accused of drug pushing in capital have fled after obtaining bails from the district court to deflect appearance before courts for next time, and above all majority was found again in this nefarious crime. A thorough examination of record at district court of the current year revealed that district court issued arrest warrant of 198 women for not appearing before court after getting bails in the cases of narcotics and other drug related cases. [continues 325 words]
ISLAMABAD: Ministry of Narcotics Control (MoNC) in collaboration with different universities has launched an awareness campaign to control the use of drugs in educational institutions of the country. The official of the Narcotics Ministry held a series of meetings with the Vice Chancellors of the universities and discussed the agenda points. An official of Narcotics Ministry told APP here on Sunday that management of the universities has agreed to implement the drug control plan in their respective institutes. He said that the main objectives of the campaign is to control the use of drugs including smoking and other contraband inside the colleges and universities. He further said that it was decided to arrange seminars and lectures regarding drug abuse to educate the students about its hazardious effects. app [end]
KARACHI: Over 90 percent out of 30,000 street children in the metropolis are addicts of different drugs while 74 percent of these addicts are involved in either glue sniffing or hashish and 15 percent consume heroin. In relation to reason for drug use, newly runaway street children start using drugs owing to peer pressure of colleagues to forget their previous life memories, prevent themselves from cold, get confidence, ease hunger pain and forget fear, anxiety & sadness. After becoming drug addict, they need money to buy narcotics, thus they start begging and utilizing other illegal means of income. [continues 988 words]
On the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, there is no better way for the government to renew its commitment to a narcotics-free society than by having the cabinet approve the new national anti-narcotics policy. It was in 2000-01 that we eradicated poppy cultivation and achieved poppy-free status, thanks to the first anti-narcotics policy, 1993. However, with no new policy, success in reducing the production of narcotics in the 1990s was not matched by similar progress on the drug-trafficking and drug-addiction fronts. [continues 227 words]
ISLAMABAD-Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that the present democratic government, which has assigned the highest priority to control narcotics, is committed to achieve the goal of a drug-free Pakistan. "The government has initiated some far reaching policy measures as a new vision for Counter Narcotics", Gilani said in a message on the occasion of International Drugs Day, observed every year on June 26. The Prime Minister mentioned the measures such as the formulation of new Narcotics Control Policy, launching of an Inter Agency Task Force headed by Director General, ANF and comprising all Federal and Provincial Law Enforcement agencies for better coordination and implementation of counter narcotics strategy. [continues 475 words]
ISLAMABAD (APP) - Chairman Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR) Suhail Ahmed said that the drug ramifications range from increase in crime, injustice, inflation in certain cases, and financing of terrorism. He stated this while addressing the drug destruction ceremony organized by Customs formations Rawalpindi on the eve of international Day against Drug Abuse and illicit Trafficking here. Chairman FBR said customs officials are prepared to thwart any attempt of Narcotics smuggling. The Chairman said that the Directorate General FBR has chalked out a holistic multi-pronged strategy to combat the menace of drugs completely. [continues 293 words]
ISLAMABAD-The Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) has arrested 1018 smugglers including 151 foreigners and recovered more than 14,967 kg opium and 1312 kg heroin besides a large quantity of morphine and hashish during 2008-09. According to a senior official of the Ministry of Narcotics Control, a number of steps are being taken by the ANF to stop smuggling of narcotics and effective patrolling system has been introduced for this purpose. Regarding details of the quantity of drugs recovered from smugglers including Pakistanis and foreigners during from 2008 to March 2009, he said that the ANF recovered heroin (1108.419 kg.-in 2008 and 203.755 kg in 2009), morphine (3610.250 kg in 2008 and nil in 2009), opium (14779.680 kg in 2008 and 188.150 kg in 2009), hashish (54662.155 kg in 2008 and 13751.598 kg in 2009) and cocaine (7.310 kg in 2008 and nil in 2009). [continues 91 words]
RAWALPINDI: Anti Narcotics Force (ANF), Rawalpindi Region, seized a sizable quantity of drugs and arrested 118 alleged drug traffickers, including 15 foreigners, during 10 months of the current year. Sources in the force told Daily Times that over 160 kg fine quality heroin, 3,300 kg hashish and 4 kg opium was seized during this period. Around 100 smugglers were arrested from Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Airport alone while trying to smuggle drugs to other countries. The force also raided different spots including bus stations, hotels and houses to arrest the smugglers. [continues 112 words]
A Pakistani court has sentenced an Ontario woman to 25 years in prison after heroin was found in a suitcase the mother of three claimed was not hers. Deborah Kerr of Brighton, Ont., was sentenced for drug trafficking on Wednesday, Foreign Affairs official Alain Cacchione confirmed yesterday. A co-accused was acquitted, he said. Kerr, 36, was en route to Canada when she was arrested at an Islamabad airport on Feb. 1, 2007. Authorities discovered 6.2 kilograms in luggage near to where Kerr was standing. Canadian officials who ensured Kerr received proper legal counsel overseas said yesterday they were awaiting confirmation from Pakistan that Kerr would appeal her sentence. [continues 250 words]
Whilst the world was celebrating World Anti-Narcotics Day on June 27 by organising seminars and conferences with loud woes of resolve to end the menace, in the south of Helmand province of Afghanistan Gul Bibi (18) was being sold to the local land owner as a 'opium bride' by her father for just a few thousand dollars. Her father was indebted to a land owner with a promise to repay at the harvest time. With the opium eradication drive by the government and allied forces, his field was also destroyed, leaving him nothing to pay back the loan. Opium flowers would continue to grow and multiply, till the spring of poverty, violation of human rights and deterioration of socio-economic situation of the natives would complete its interval in Afghanistan. [continues 1095 words]
RAWALPINDI: The government is committed to providing healthy environment to youth and struggle against narcotics is part of such efforts, Narcotics Control Minister Nazar Gondal said on Thursday. He was speaking during a function at Jeddah Town Enclave where Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) set on fire 18,354kg narcotics seized by Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Lahore regional directorates. A large number of senior military and civil officials, social workers, representatives of NGOs and heads of local educational institutions turned up. The ANF distributed printed material among the visitors and displayed banners with anti-drugs slogans to highlight adverse effects of drugs on human health and mind. [continues 312 words]
The editor in chief of The Frontier Post, Rehmat Shah Afridi, has been languishing in prison in Kot Lakhpat jail Lahore for nearly ten years since he was arrested in 1997 and later summarily convicted on trumped up charges of hashish smuggling by an "independent judiciary". In fact his real crime was two-fold: he had upset Mr Nawaz Sharif by supporting Benazir Bhutto in the 1990s and later treaded on the toes of the anti-drug establishment and tried to expose the corruption in its midst. His trial was a mockery of justice in many ways that were recorded by the media at that time. Worse, he has spent nearly ten years in prison, which is more than the time a life sentence carries once all the remissions are taken into account. But the establishment has tended to treat him as a "disappeared" person by refusing to grant any remissions to him and keeping him locked up. Needless to say, his health has deteriorated to the breaking point. The PPP government's pro-media and democratic credentials have already been enhanced by the proposed anti-PEMRA bill in parliament. It should now do the honourable and just thing by ordering the immediate release of Rehmat Shah Afridi and winning hearts and minds all round. [end]
Drug abuse is known to be prevalent among young adults, warranting efforts to increase awareness about harmful effects and to change attitudes. I have seen a lot of young people walking around smoking a hashish-filled cigarette openly. The increasing use of drugs is disturbing. Young adults have started using heroin that was earlier only confined the elders. In a big metropolitan like Karachi, they are reported to have parties in which they use drugs of various kinds. Efforts need to be made to increase student awareness regarding the side effects of drugs. This can be achieved through educating students about the adverse effects of drugs and the moral and religious implications of drugs. This may help to bring about a positive impact. Proper student-counselling facilities and healthier avenues for recreation are also required. Faizan Ali, Karachi [end]
* Urges measures against foreign drug smugglers * Reiterates need to launch awareness campaign ISLAMABAD: Expressing its deep concern over continuous prevalence of drugs and narcotics in the society, the Senate Standing Committee on Narcotics Control has directed the Ministry of Interior, Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) and other relevant Government agencies to double their efforts to create a drug-free society. The Committee, which met at the Parliament House on Saturday under the Chairpersonship of Senator Mrs Kalsoom Parveen, underscored the need to employ a multi-pronged strategy for effecting and simultaneously pursuing preventive and rehabilitative strategies to achieve better results. [continues 562 words]
An encouraging report has come about the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) decision to take action against those involved in supplying drugs to students of some well-reputed educational institutes of Islamabad. The organisation is monitoring these institutions and seeking support from civil society for complete eradication of drugs from the country. The organisation has warned the government that many foreigners residing in Pakistan are involved in drug smuggling. They could become threat for the country as they have direct links in FATA and Afghanistan. The ANF claims that Pakistan is still a poppy-free country, but given the resurgence of poppy cultivation in Afghanistan, the country is facing the problem of proliferation of drugs from Afghanistan. Drug abuse, particularly heroin addiction, has been spreading at an alarming rate in Pakistan since the late 70s. It has now become a serious social problem, with no solution in sight. The situation becomes more serio! us when we see an increase of 100,000 addicts per year. These drug addicts are affecting nearly 20 million dependents and family members with psychological, social and economic repercussions. [continues 429 words]
Interior and Narcotics Control Minister Lt Gen (r) Hamid Nawaz Khan directed the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) Monday to launch a vigorous campaign against narcotics and drug peddlers to achieve drug-free status for Pakistan this year. Presiding over a high-level meeting of the Narcotics Control Ministry, he said that all possible measures would be adopted to curb this menace. Earlier, Narcotics Control Secretary Jalil Abbas briefed the minister about ongoing projects of the ministry. ANF Regional Director Brig Pervaiz Sarwar told the minister that all-out efforts would be made to rid the country of the scourge of narcotics. [continues 257 words]
ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Narcotics Control on Tuesday criticised the Narcotics Control Ministry for not implementing its recommendations about checking the use of illegal drugs. The committee, which met at the Parliament House with Senator Kalsoom Perveen in the chair, directed the ministry to gear up its efforts to increase inter-provincial coordination to facilitate forums working against the drug menace. Committee members said the trade of illicit drugs was growing in the country and those involved in the illegal activity deserved punishment. It stressed the need for appropriate checks and balances to discourage the misuse of drugs. The senate body recommended the Narcotics Control Ministry issue No Objection Certificate (NOC) for import of chemicals like Toluene, Potassium Permanganate and Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) by various industries within one month and appropriate check be maintained on the importers and the users. [continues 88 words]
LAHORE: Samanabad has become a safe haven for drug dealers, who are openly selling drugs to youths in the area, The Post Team learnt Sunday. To check the performance of the police in this regard, The Post Team reached Samanabad police station without prior information, where it found the police busy chatting with each other. When a member of the team made a complaint to the duty officer about the loss of his motorcycle, he replied, 'It doesn't matter; such incidents occur daily. Come at night, a police team will accompany you to the spot from where your bike was lifted." When the team asked about the SHO, a constable said that the SHO had just left the office, but another cop said that he had not been there since morning. [continues 193 words]
RAWALPINDI: Even though Pakistan is one of the countries labeled as 'low prevalence and high risk' in terms of HIV/AIDS the lingering miasma of HIV/AIDS is rising rapidly because of shared syringes used to inject drugs in the slums of the city. In fact the main cause for the spread of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Pakistan is injected drug abuse. Moreover, Hepatitis C is another disease that people injecting drugs risk acquiring. There is strong evidence that there is a shift from non-injecting modes of drug abuse to injecting drugs with the latter becoming increasingly popular in areas like Pir Wadhai, a large opium/heroin production and drug trafficking region. [continues 638 words]
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan said on Thursday that they had agreed to implement a joint Action Plan to strengthen national, bilateral and trilateral border management and security in a bid to curb drug trafficking and transnational crimes. In a joint statement issued after the end of a two-day trilateral meeting on "Border Management Cooperation in Drug Control", held in Vienna from June 12-13, the three sides identified Afghanistan's border regions between Pakistan and Iran as being under attack from criminal groups smuggling Precursor Chemicals into Afghanistan as well as trafficking drugs out of the country. [continues 277 words]
Farmers will be weaned off opium over the long term only if they have sustainable livelihoods. At the moment, Afghanistan's drug lords are prospering, and rural communities are suffering. That situation needs to be reversed. We must punish the traffickers and reward the farmers When NATO leaders meet for their summit in Riga at the end of this month, there will be a ghost at the feast: Afghanistan's opium. Afghanistan is in danger of falling back into the hands of terrorists, insurgents, and criminals, and the multi-billion-dollar opium trade is at the heart of the country's malaise. Indeed, NATO's top general, James Jones, has called drugs the 'Achilles heel' of Afghanistan. [continues 818 words]
LAHORE: The use of drugs at a private university has worried its administration, prompting it to put up notices warning students against using narcotics on campus, Daily Times has found. One such notice put up early this month says students found using, buying, selling or possessing drugs on campus would be thrown out. Several students said the administration had noted the frequent use of drugs among students and that was why it was taking this action. One Masters' level student said the administration had in the past couple of weeks found rolling papers and other paraphernalia in bins and classrooms. [continues 278 words]
QUETTA, Pakistan - Ragged men with sickly yellowed faces tread through trash and wastewater to the junkie slum in Quetta's main drain - a pit of filth and disease where heroin from nearby Afghanistan sells like candy. They call it home, this scene from hell in the southwestern Pakistan city of Quetta. For a dollar they can smoke away their troubles. If they die, the pushers will pay other addicts to dump the bodies by the road. Tentacles of the booming narcotics trade reach from Afghanistan, 2 1/2 hours' drive away, into Quetta's back streets where the drug is smoked or injected, and into the pockets of corrupt officials and police. [continues 415 words]
QUETTA, Pakistan - A small airplane with a heat-seeing camera flies over moonlit, craggy desert along the Pakistan-Afghan frontier, circling suspicious convoys of vehicles that appear with amazing clarity on a monochrome screen. In an effort to improve border security and stanch the flow of heroin trafficked from top world producer Afghanistan, the U.S. has supplied Pakistan with 10 Huey helicopters and three Cessna Caravan planes with high-tech surveillance equipment. But a chronic shortage of dedicated ground forces to pounce on smugglers limits their impact. And rampant corruption that a former Afghan trafficker says infects security forces and officials on both sides of the border helps fuel the booming narcotics trade to Pakistan, across Europe and the United States. [continues 736 words]
* Says Very Few Officials Involved In Drug Trafficking * 'convict Officers' Still Working For Jail Administrations LAHORE: Drug supply to criminals in jails can be checked, but not eliminated, Prisons Inspector General Sarfraz Ahmad Mufti told Daily Times on Tuesday. The IG said drug addicts and peddlers were kept in separate cells, but despite stringent measures they manage to bring to jails the drugs they get from their accomplices, friends or relatives when they go for court hearings and share these drugs with other inmates. [continues 457 words]
ISLAMABAD: The National AssemblyA's (NA) standing committee on narcotics control on Monday directed the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) to launch an awareness campaign against drugs. Chaired by Dr Nasir Mehmood, the committee asked the ANF to register non-government organisations (NGO) capable of creating awareness and treating and rehabilitating drug addicts. The committee also asked the ANF to enhance its financial assistance to such NGOs. The committee members also reviewed the decisions taken during its previous meeting and expressed satisfaction on the progress made by the ANF in this regard. [continues 99 words]
LAHORE: A 12-day workshop on the rehabilitation of drug addicts concluded at a local hotel on Wednesday. The Anti Narcotics Force (ANF), Punjab, arranged the workshop. Brian George, political officer of the United States consulate, was the chief guest. Speaking on the occasion, George said that the US government supported ANF efforts to eradicate drugs. He said that proper attention and medication could make drug addicts useful members of society. He said that society's neglect could provoke the addicts to use more drugs. Colonel Abid, ANF joint director, said that the ANF was raising awareness among the masses against drugs. Other speakers praised the ANF for its efforts. They called for more such workshops. In the end, certificates were distributed among the participants. [end]
WASHINGTON - The rise in opium traffic in Afghanistan has been called a threat to the progress the country has otherwise been making. A leading article in the New York Times on Tuesday notes that last year Afghanistan provided an estimated 87 percent of the world's illegal opium crop. Apart from the damage that opium, transformed into heroin, inflicts on users worldwide, the trafficking also lines the pockets of armed militia leaders and corrupt local officials, giving them the means to resist President Hamid Karzai's efforts to promote security, development and democracy. [continues 318 words]
On Tuesday, UN and government officials said the number of injecting drug users in Pakistan is on the increase, which could lead to an upswing in HIV infections. "The writing is on the wall for Pakistan: either get a grip on injecting drug use and sharing of needles or get ready to face and HIV/AIDS epidemic," Vincent McClean, representative of the UN office of Drugs and Crime, said during the launch of the International Narcotics Control Board report. "The injecting drug use and sharing of needles is the fastest way to accelerate an HIV/AIDS epidemic," said McClean. "Once the needle-sharing drug injectors reach a critical mass, there is a very rapid spread into the general population through sexual transmission." [continues 157 words]
Sir: Reading the papers recently, it appears that Pakistan is about to follow the path of the United States in its battle against illegal drugs. If I may offer some advice: Don't do it. The US anti-narcotics policy has been an absolute, total disaster. The US has increased its anti-drugs budget by a whopping 29,500 percent in the past thirty-six years. The net results: Illegal drugs are just as available in the US today as they were in 1969. [continues 143 words]
LAHORE: Karen Tandy, head of the US Drug Enforcement Agency (USDEA) has said that Pakistan cannot be called a poppy-free country. Talking to a private channel, she asked Pakistan's religious leaders to issue fatwas (religious decrees) against narcotics. "Narcotics are against the teachings of the Holy Quran. Pakistani ulema should give fatwas against narcotics and support the anti-narcotic effort," she said. Ms Tandy said she had handed over a list of drug smugglers to the Pakistan's Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF). "The US and the ANF are very strong partners in the war against narcotics. They are sharing intelligence to stem the flow of poppy and heroin from Afghanistan to Pakistan," she said. Asked what the US expected from Pakistan in its anti-narcotics war, the US official said, "Continuation of a very close collaboration." [end]
* Aziz Urges Media To Play Proactive Role * 4 Million Drug Addicts In The Country, Of Which 0.5 Million Are Heroin Addicts RAWALPINDI: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said that narcotics is a global issue and Pakistan will have to play a vital role in eradicating this menace from the world. Talking to journalists after attending a briefing at the Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) Headquarters on Thursday, he said the government would help eradicate this menace from its territory by providing drug cultivators with alternate means of earning their living. Ghaus Buksh Mehar, federal anti-narcotics minister, Major-General Nadeem Ahmad, Director General (DG) ANF, and other ANF officials were present on the occasion. [continues 549 words]
KARACHI -- The Sindh health department has no paucity of funds, but it is mainly due to the wrong set of priorities that has led to non-sustainable projects at the expense of the extremely essential provision for auto-disable syringes as well as drugs at public sector hospitals. The observation was made by the Sindh health secretary, Prof Naushad A Sheikh, during a workshop on "Safe Injections - Prevention of Blood Borne Infections" organized by HOPE on Wednesday. The secretary, who had previously served as the medical superintendent of the Lyari General and Civil hospitals minced no words in reminding that major emphasis had been laid on construction of buildings and procurement of expensive equipment, but not on basic health care and prevention programmes. [continues 809 words]
LAHORE: The Shahdra police had an interesting start to the new year, when a prisoner deliberately injured himself, trying to make it look like he had been tortured by the police. Police have registered case number 9/2005 against the accused for attempted suicide. According to sources, Abdul Sattar, alias Tari was arrested by the Shahdra police, when he was found in possession of narcotics and illegal weapons. Police registered two cases numbered 6/2005 and 7/2005 against him. On Sunday, when police officers were interrogating the prisoner, alleged to be a member of a drug smuggling ring, he suddenly began acting erratically and proceeded to repeatedly ram his head into the bars of the prison cell. Police officials tried to restrain the crazed man, who was, by then, soaked in his own blood. It was later discovered that he had used a concealed razor blade to cut himself in various places. The police immediately moved him to the nearby Bajwa Hospital for treatment, after which, they locked him up once again, and registered a case for attempted suicide against him. [continues 113 words]
ATTOCK, Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) on Tuesday here recovered chras and hashish worth millions of rupees and arrested an international drug smuggler. Joint Director ANF Lt Colonel Wasif Sajjad while addressing a press conference told that on a tip off that heavy amount of drugs is being smuggled from Peshawar to Punjab, a team of ANF led by DSP Sabtain Kazmi barricaded GT road near Tarbela, Hazro. During the operation, a carry van coming from Peshawar was signaled to stop but the men in van opened fire on ANF personnel. [continues 69 words]
LAHORE: The government has chalked out a comprehensive plan to stop drug trafficking and to create awareness about drugs, this plan will be implemented from January after a final report is submitted to the prime minister, said Mian Zahir Ahmad, the federal secretary for Narcotics, on Tuesday. Mian Zahir was addressing a two-day workshop jointly organised by the Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) Punjab and the US Embassy. The workshop aims to train district government officials on how to deal with drugs related offences. [continues 514 words]
ISLAMABAD: Canadian High Commissioner to Pakistan Margaret Huber on Saturday stressed the need to undertake global efforts to eradicate the drug trade. Addressing a ceremony to distribute certificates among the Anti-Narcotics Force officials who conducted an advanced law enforcement course on drugs, she highlighted the importance of international cooperation to counter the drug menace. She lauded the efforts of Pakistani law enforcement agencies to apprehend drug barons. She said such courses reflect the continuing commitment by Canada to support Pakistan and its fight against international drug trafficking. She said regional training courses would be immensely helpful for police officials involved in hampering the drug trade and finding the evidence necessary to stop those involved in the trade. [continues 202 words]
DHAKA: A Dhaka court has sentenced three Pakistani women to life imprisonment for drug trafficking. The three -- Noor Jahan, Nazma and Kohinoor - were arrested in May last year at the Zia International Airport here with 14 kg of heroin packed in 176 toothpaste tubes. They had arrived from Karachi via Dubai by the Emirates Airlines. The women broke down and wept when the judge delivered the sentence in a packed courtroom Thursday, The Daily Star newspaper reported. [end]
QUETTA: While foiling the terrorist activity, the Frontier Constabulary has seized heavy cache' of arms and ammunition Gardi Jangle near Dalbadin on Thursday. The arms include LMG, SMG rifles, rocket launchers, dozens of rounds of 107MM, hundereds of bullets, hand grenades and explosive materials were seized in a raid on the den of smugglers, on a tip off. However, no arrest has been reported in the raid. 26 drug smugglers arrested in July: Narcotics board A total of 8926 Kilograms of Charas and 20.49 kilograms of Heroin while 53 kilograms of Opium has been seized during the month of July 2004 besides nine foreigners including six Nigerians were nabbed in the said month for smuggling drugs. [continues 143 words]
ISLAMABAD, Aug 9: Pakistan and India will hold two days of talks here from Tuesday on terrorism and drug trafficking, after a gap of six years. Talking to Dawn here on Monday, Interior Ministry spokesman Chaudhry Abdul Rauf said the Indian delegation headed by Home Secretary Dhirendra Singh would arrive here on Tuesday. Interior Secretary Tariq Mehmud will lead the Pakistani delegation. The spokesman said officials of the interior ministries of the two countries had met about six years ago and they were meeting now under the composite dialogue process. [continues 349 words]
Inside Pakistan
