Rs8.5 million worth of drugs seized from three Nigerians in Islamabad

E-Paper | May 03, 2026

Police on Tuesday seized narcotics worth Rs8.5 million from three Nigerian nationals near the Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) campus in Islamabad.

The three men, who were arrested, are suspected of supplying drugs to students in educational institutions of the capital, police said.

The drugs recovered by Secretariat Police from the suspects included 800 grams of heroin, 250g cocaine and 300g marijuana. A first information report has been registered against them.

Senior Superintendent Police (operations) Mohammad Amin Bukhari, on whose directions the operation was carried out, praised the station house officer of Secretariat Police Station over the seizure of the drugs.

"The criminals destroying the future of children will be dealt with an iron hand," a police statement quoted Bukhari as saying.

An Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) official had revealed earlier this year that as many as 67 per cent of university students in the country use drugs.

About 7.6 million people in Pakistan are drug addicts, out of which 78pc are men and 22pc women, ANF Director North Brig Hammad Dogar had said while speaking at a seminar in Rawalpindi.

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Shakeel Qarar is an Islamabad-based reporter for Dawn News (TV), having been with the organization since 2012. His reporting covers crime, law and order, and security, with a specific focus on the Ministry of Interior and its subordinate agencies. He can be found on X at @Qarar009.

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ahmed

Oct 23, 2018 07:26pm

Bukhari is right and these foreign criminals who bring sickness to PK's young people must be dealt with most seriously and severely. Shabash to police and those that have helped including Bukhari.

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Zoraiz Zafar

Oct 23, 2018 07:34pm

Deport them and the no-good Afghans who have been polluting our country for decades. If Trump can do so, so can we!

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Dr inns ali uk

Oct 23, 2018 07:54pm

disgusting!

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Navaid

Oct 23, 2018 08:13pm

"An Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) official had revealed earlier this year that as many as 67 per cent of university students in the country use drugs". ANF must have considered paracetamol too as a drug!

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Sarai Alamgir

Oct 23, 2018 08:23pm

Why doesnt this surprise me, even here in the UK, these Nigerians have a reputation for being dodgy.

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Asif

Oct 23, 2018 08:32pm

isn't there enough here already?

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Anti-Corruption_Pakistani

Oct 23, 2018 08:54pm

Is this incident tip of the ice or was an isolated case?

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Harun

Oct 23, 2018 08:57pm

Nigerians are badly reputed, as the main drug peddlers in the whole world. Do not allow them visa to enter our country for any reason!

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Shash Bangalore

Oct 23, 2018 08:58pm

These Nigerians are menace even in my city, Bangalore and other cities in India.

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IQBAL HADI ZAIDI

Oct 23, 2018 09:28pm

QA session! (a) Who sponsored them to come to Pakistan? (b) Did three come together, perhaps not? (c) When did they come? (d) Where did they stay and how they could rent a place to live in unless living with any Nigerian or Pakistani? (e) What had been their source of income to live on? (f) Who are frequent visitors to them? (g) How could they buy so many drugs within Pakistan unless they brought with them from Nigeria? (h) Don’t haste to deport unless we unearth the gang, Pakistani or international, they belong to. Issue commendation certificates with money or without money for the police to catch these three Nigerians. Iqbal Hadi Zaidi

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Bret

Oct 23, 2018 10:12pm

We have the same issue with Nigerians in India.....In fact, they even challenged the cops in Goa..and were openly selling drugs.........

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Sukhera

Oct 23, 2018 10:43pm

The,question is who supplied the drugs to these people. These people saw a big demand for the drus and set up a business to meet thr demand. it appears any one can get a visa to do any business.

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Khurram

Oct 23, 2018 11:18pm

Nigerians must not get visa.

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Combaticus

Oct 23, 2018 11:56pm

That is unfortunate and gives a bad reputation to many good students from Africa that come to study in Pakistan. I hope this episode does not reduce the induction of African students to Pakistani universities. Having foreign students is a good trend. For these three, let the due process proceed as by the rule of law.

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Khalid Iqbal

Oct 24, 2018 12:48am

Corruption first , and on top of that drugs , perfect prescription for destroying a nation , will the people of Pakistan wake up .

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MALIK

Oct 24, 2018 01:22am

They were trying to take something which is bad and henious for us and lessen our load.

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Abhinav Mishra

Oct 24, 2018 01:26am

All of these are doing same thing everywhere. Even in delhi, Nigerians are only knows of selling drugs

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Chinpaksaddique

Oct 24, 2018 02:20am

Terrible - they try to come here for benefits. Deport them now

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Imtiaz Ali Khan

Oct 24, 2018 02:21am

I have a friend of Nigeria in NGO here in interior Sindh, Pakistan. I worked with he is a kind person who cares for humanity not all Africans are bad please refrain from judging everyone friends. Love to Africans from Pakistan :)

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فکرمند The Worried one

Oct 24, 2018 02:29am

Knowing how the Pakistani corrupt police operates, it could be a a set up for not paying up. When it comes to dealing with individuals from our friendly countries, we should let the court decide, especially when there is no pressure or barging from the homeland of the accused.

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Lodhia Ebrahim

Oct 24, 2018 03:12am

@Zoraiz Zafar Please no mercy on these criminals. Interrogate them severely to unearth more connections. Our Embassy in Nigeria should properly scrutinize before issuing visas.The ungrateful Afghans who were responsible for the drug culture in Pakistan should be immediately deported.

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Amjad Durrani Engineer USA

Oct 24, 2018 04:17am

Drug addiction is a universal problem and Pakistan being near the hub of drug production areas in Afghanistan, and used as a conduit by the drug carriers cannot escape from its ill effects on its population. It is also very disturbing to know that remote areas in the tribal belt adjoining Afghanistan is used for storage and processing of cocain & heroin, which if true needs immediate action by anti drug agency. The student community is most vulnerable as they unknowingly fall trap to become users by planted ones getting incentive in cash as well free drugs, to hook unsuspecting looking for thrills and adventures. We need mass awareness as well as establishment of special anti drug centers where addicts. should undergo withdrawal treatment. Catching few drug peddlers, will not break this network of warehouses,in each city, bulk supply houses, laboratories and transporters including human carriers.This requires eradication of aforementioned on war footing through intelligence based raids

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Zain

Oct 24, 2018 04:18am

@Zoraiz Zafar - Yes we khan!

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Javed Majeed

Oct 24, 2018 05:02am

Where ever a "certain type of individual" goes, crime and disease surely follow It's not about what a person looks like but rather his actions. Stating the obvious : these people are famous for everything wrong. One doesn't pass judgements per exceptions belonging to a certain class of people but rather the norm...the average. This lot is usually up to no good

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Magnanimous approach

Oct 24, 2018 06:12am

67% is an exaggerated figure. It could be 7%. ANF no doubt is doing a wonderful job. Recently Canada has legalized the use of marijuana, more countries to follow. Lab tests and research is on in many countries, about effects of marijuana, cocain, on drivers. But Pak has very strict policy against all drugs and narcotic, an special force ANF is a wonderful force, and delivering. There are very few rehabilitation centers for drug addicts, needs attention and more centers be opened. The drugs are mostly available near shrines, and can be controlled if the concerned police station be pressed for accountability. Unfortunately the police instead of taking action, becomes a partner with drug pushers. The onus of responsibility lies on Provincial Govt, which must depoliticize the police, and ask for weekly reports on drug curbing results. The drug pushers need not sympathy, but long duration jails. The drug addicts be help for rehabilitation and their families too be supported.

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Farhan Aizaz

Oct 24, 2018 06:27am

Also these dens of students should be investigated and criminal proceedings should be initiated as well.

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Jalil Yousaf

Oct 24, 2018 06:31am

Their nationality will play a huge role in defining their future. Nigerians must expect severe punishments. If they were from Saudi Arabia or USA, they could expect pardon and enjoy a safe flight back home.

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mrshehbaz

Oct 24, 2018 07:06am

Nigerians are notorious for drugs,deception and online bank forgeries /scams.

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Shadmehr Mehrian

Oct 24, 2018 10:12am

@Javed Majeed ... We have to call a spade a spade.

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