Pakistan poppy free country despite increased poppy production in Afghanistan: Shehryar Afridi

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for States and Frontier Region (SAFRON) and Narcotics Control Shehryar Khan Afridi Wednesday said Pakistan has become poppy free country since 2001 despite increased production of poppy in her neighbouring country Afghanistan.

Speaking at the launching ceremony of World Drug Report 2019 on the outset of International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, he said, “Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) with meager staff and scarce resources has managed to sustain the ambitious poppy status of the country amid diverse challenges and constraints.”

He said that the global community should shun realizing Pakistan with a prejudiced and partial perspective. “ANF has 29 police stations across the country with only 2900 workforce available to curb illicit drug trafficking and control modern intoxicating soporific substances’ proliferation in the educational institutions across the country,” he added.

Afridi said that ANF and Coast Guards were doing a great job in their capacity to monitor and control drug trafficking on 2611 kilometers border of Afghanistan and 909 kilometers of Iran alongwith other law enforcement agencies. Frontier Corps (FC) Khyber Pakhtunkwa and Balochistan from North and South were fighting the mafia propagating fatal drugs from the porous borders of Afghanistan into Pakistan hence reaching Iran for further supply to Europe and other developed countries, he noted.

“Millions of tonnes narcotics and drugs have been seized by ANF in these transborder drug supplies which are certainly great achievement of the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) as it saved the masses of prosperous countries from the curse of addiction and the international community should reckon our efforts and sacrifices in this pursuit,” Afridi emphasized.

Prime Minister Imran Khan had started considering fencing the Pak-Iran border to ensure strict control over illicit drugs trafficking in the region, he told the symposium.

Minister for Narcotics and SAFRON said that most of the literate youth of domestic and global community was using latest drugs like ICE and others newly derived substances. “They (youngsters) are using ICE and other derived drugs to achieve high scores in O/A levels and also the unemployed youth of the country,” he informed.

Parents should keep an eye on the circles of their children in educational institutes as these newly invented drugs were unidentifiable by them even if they found them in their kids’ bags as most of the drugs had been introduced in the form of sweets, flavours and smoking products, the minister underscored.

“I am trying to introduce new legislation under which any educational institute if reported to have a single drug addiction case registered then it would be penalized,” he added.

The theme for this year’s World Drug Day was “Health for Justice. Justice for Health” where the World Drug Report 2019 noticed increased ration of drug use and production across the globe. The launching ceremony of the Report was organized by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) with the collaboration of World Health Organization (WHO) and Norway.

UNODC senior officer Syed Arsalan as per the tradition read out the message of the UN Secretary-General António Guterres as, "I welcome the theme of this International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking – 'health for justice, justice for health' – underlining the importance of a holistic approach involving health, human rights, criminal justice and social service institutions."

UNODC officials Manzoor ul Haq and Col (R) Sajid Aziz Aslam presented salient features of the World Drug Report 2019 which stated that “Cannabis” was found the most used drugs in the jails and amongst youngsters around the globe.

The former mentioned that 275 million people were using drugs in 2017 with an increase over 35 per cent in the past decade. It had been observed that Darknet was used by internet surfers for using drugs where in consequences of shutdown of AlphaBay and Hansa markets in 2017 resulted in avoiding darknet use for buying drugs, he added.

“There has been major increase in poppy production in 2017 whereas a slight decline has been noticed due to unfavourable weather conditions,” the report noted.

WHO Representative, Dr Palitha Gunarathna Mahipala said that the global substance used was a serious problem which particularly affects children, youngsters and women. There had been estimated 31 million people having drugs use disorders whereas tobacco was the leading factor for developing individual’s tendency towards drugs addiction.

“WHO will continue to provide systematic help to government of Pakistan for curbing illicit drug trafficking and control this menace and inter-sectoral collaboration will continue in the long run,” he added.

President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi was also presented on the occasion where he termed drugs as a major issue in the country where its trafficking was indispensable to be controlled.

He also urged the parents to be watchful of their children and should notice the health situation and eating habits of their kids to ascertain any suspicious activity. “It not only spoils individuals rather entire family suffers,” he added.

Suhail Ahmed Al Zarooni, famous Emirati philanthropist and Guinness World Record Holder also handed over 110 beds to ANF model rehabilitation centers to be set in Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Quetta.

Director General ANF Maj Gen Muhammad Arif Malik said that ANF had achieved many milestones with the help of other LEAs including reduction in major portion of poppy from the country. It was the leading agency with small size whereas it had restricted poppy supply from Afghanistan where 87 per cent increase in its cultivation had been recorded in the recent years.

“ANF has conducted nationwide anti-drugs campaign with special focus on educational institutions and also carried out successful intelligence based operations. Three Rehabilitation centers of ANF are providing free treatment to over 18000 victims of drug abuse. It has also arrested 703 individuals on violation and prosecuted 413 arrested with 92 per cent conviction rate,” he added.

Secretary Ministry of Narcotics Control Amjad Javid Saleemi said the ministry was maiong all out efforts to control illicit drug trafficking whereas there was need to revisit drug control policy at federal and provincial level.

The ministry was organizing seminars for the awareness of public on hazards of drugs use in colleges and universities and also developed Zindagi APP so that people could access treatment facilities for their loved ones affected by drug abuse, he added.