June 27, 2003	Friday	Rabi-us-Sani 26,1424

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ISLAMABAD, June 26: The increasing use of drugs in the western world is the major cause of narcotics’ production in developing countries, including Pakistan.

This was stated by the federal minister for health, Mohammad Nasir Khan, who was speaking as chief guest at the national conference on “Drug Abuse & Illicit Trafficking”, here on Thursday.

The conference was organized by the National Council of Social Welfare under the auspices of the Ministry of Women Development, Social Welfare and Special Education to mark the International Day of Drug use and Illicit Trafficking.

The minister, being critical of international media, said it was unjustifiable to dub third world countries as drug producers, as every body knew that, at present, the United States, followed by European countries, were active markets of drugs.

“Who provides them (addicts) narcotics in western world. It is there own people and rackets operating within the very limits of their countries; then why do they label us as drug producers,” he said.

The whole world, he said, had to share the responsibility to fight against drug addiction and illicit trafficking all around the glob as the drug barons had no religion, creed and nationality.

Talking about drug use in the country, the Mr Khan said, at present, there were about 3.7 million chronic drug addicts with seven per cent annual increase in their number. The most alarming fact is that half of them fall under below-35 age group — a problem that needs to be given due attention by the private and public sectors.

The minister said inter-ministerial cooperation at the federal level, aimed at formulating a comprehensive strategy against drug addiction, would also be encouraged.