RAWALPINDI, March 6: The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) has expressed concern over the pace of implementation of the national drug policy of Pakistan.

In its annual report, the INCB said that the policy review board, a committee responsible for coordination of the national drug control policy bringing together all relevant agencies, was not functioning properly.

The report said a mission sent to Pakistan had stressed the need for improving coordination among government agencies involved in drug control. The INCB recommended strengthening of policy review board.

The report said that Pakistan also had a high abuse rate for opiates; the estimated prevalence among the population aged 15-64 in 2006 was 0.7 per cent.

The results of a national drug abuse assessment survey carried out in Pakistan in 2006 released recently showed the prevalence of drug abuse by injection (125,000 people) was about 0.14 per cent of the adult population, which was twice the rate in 2002.

The report said that Pakistan continued to be used as a major transit route for Afghan opiates, but to a lesser extent than Iran.

According to officials, 35pc of opiates of Afghan origin were smuggled through Pakistan.

However, the report praised the promulgation of a legislation against money-laundering and establishment of an independent financial monitoring unit and a national executive committee to combat the menace.

The government was preparing a draft of the drug control master plan for the 2008-2012 period, the report said.

It said that the government data showed a dramatic increase in Afghan opiates seizure in 2006. The quantity of seized opiates increased from 25 tons of heroin equivalent in 2005 to 36.4 tons of heroin equivalent in 2006.

The report suggested that there was an increased smuggling of Afghan opiates through Pakistan into China.