QUETTA: Chief Minister Balochistan Dr Abdul Malik Baloch has directed all law enforcement agencies to curb the menace of narcotics in order to save future generations.

Addressing a “narcotics burning” ceremony on Thursday, he said people of the province remained the worst of sufferers of opium cultivation in neighbouring Afghanistan.

“Currently Balochistan serves as transit route for drug smugglers,” he added.

Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) and Frontier Corps have seized 72 tons of opium, hashish and crystal in the last three years.

Commander Southern Command, Lt Gen Nasir Khan Janjua and other high ups also participated in the drug burning ceremony. The chief minister and Lt Gen Janjua pressed the button to set ablaze huge quantity of narcotics worth billions of rupees in international market.

Dr Baloch said owing to deserts, rugged mountains and porous borders with Afghanistan and Iran, eradication of narcotics was a major obstacle.

“Narcotics destroyed our youngsters,” the CM lamented, urging the law enforcers to double the efforts to curb this menace.

Commander ANF Brigadier Adnan, while addressing the ceremony, said that the law enforcement agencies have seized 72 tons of different types of narcotics during last three years. He said so far 37 accused were arrested and 16 of them were convicted by different courts in Balochistan.

“Cases of remaining accused including three master-minds are under trial,” Brig Adnan said. He said 17 drug peddlers were arrested by law enforcement agencies from Main Nallah of Quetta who were involved in selling drugs in the heart of the city.

“We have decided to reach 10,000 personnel from 2,500 to eradicate the curse of narcotics,” the ANF commander stated.