June 20, 2008	Friday	Jamadi-us-Sani 15, 1429

RAWALPINDI, June 19: Federal Minister for Narcotics Control Nazar Mohammad Gondal on Thursday said Pakistan was being used by drug traffickers as a transit country, who were now adopting unconventional methods of smuggling.

“They are ruthless and are mostly equipped with latest weapons and communication system,” he added.

He said this while attending a ceremony held at Jeddah Town in Rawalpindi where a large quantity of narcotics were burnt. The ceremony was held in connection with the International Day against Illicit Trafficking and Drug Abuse.

Director-General, Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), Maj-Gen Khalid Amir Jaffery welcomed the distinguished diplomats and honourable guests.

A large number of dignitaries, high ranking officers of military and civil bureaucracy, mediapersons, social workers, representatives of NGOs, heads of various educational institutions and people from various sectors also attended the event.

Drug abuse awareness material was distributed among the visitors and banners with anti-drug slogans were also displayed to highlight the adverse affects of drugs on human health and mind.

Mr Gondal appreciated the efforts of the ANF in its fight against the menace of drugs. He further added that narcotics which were being burnt had been seized by the ANF which spoke volumes about their commitment.

He said this huge quantity of narcotics was intended for local consumption as well as smuggling abroad, which the ANF personnel seized by putting their lives at risk.

The ANF director-general said today Pakistan was facing multiple problems that made the task of the force more difficult. “We are located in the neighbourhood of Afghanistan that was fulfilling the drugs requirement at the international level by producing almost 93 per cent of narcotics,” he said.

Force Commander Regional Directorate Brig Mohammad Asif Alvi said during the period from 2001 to May 31, 2008, his department seized 1,507.96kg of heroin, 864.61kg of opium, 28,908.759kg hashish, 4,557 bottles of wine, 793 ecstasy tablets and 4,010.5kg of poppy straw.

“On the legal side, the regional directorate has registered 1,770 drugs seizure cases. About 1,203 criminals have been convicted and 388 cases are still under trial,” he said.

He said assets amounting to Rs271.05 million, $17,720 and 880.04gms gold have been frozen, out of which assets worth Rs37.22 million and 101.51 pound sterling have been forfeited by courts.

He said the ANF had been playing a leading role in mass awareness and community action programmes to educate people against drug abuse. The ANF has also established a 45-bed Model Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre (MATRC) for the detoxification of drug addicts and simultaneously running a drop- in centre for injecting drug users.

In the ceremony, approximately 13,248.066kg of narcotics was destroyed by Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Lahore region.