Business community role imperative in eliminating drugs: Minister

• Shehryar Afridi says mobile phone application called Zindagi is going to be launched to make people aware of all sorts of drugs.
• The minister says the ministry has also launched a global data bank of criminals involved in narcotics trade and money laundering updates data from 250 sources globally.

RAWALPINDI: Minister of State and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) and Narcotics Control, Shehryar Khan Afridi Wednesday said that mobile phone application called Zindagi was going to be launched to make people aware of all sorts of drugs.

He said the ministry had also launched a global data bank of criminals involved in narcotics trade and money laundering updates data from 250 sources globally.

He was addressing business community during his visit to the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI).

The minister said that the government was committed make the country  drug-free. Rehabilitation centers are being set up in different hospitals around the country for the treatment of drug addicts. The business community should come forward and join hand with ministry for anti-narcotics awareness drives, he added.

The minister there was need to promote the true image of the country outside Pakistan and business community could play a vital role in this regard.

"We have on our credit the highest seizes of drugs. Pakistan attained poppy free status since 2001 and we also have highest number of convictions of criminals involved in narcotics trade, he added.   Pakistan has developed one of the biggest data banks of criminals involved in crimes related to drugs and money laundering," he said.

To control smuggling and drugs, we have launched intelligence-based operations against drug smuggling and peddling.

State of the art monitoring system is being introduced with improve checks at borders to ensure that the menace of narcotics was eradicated.

He lauded RCCI efforts in promoting trade activities in the region and assured full support from his office in addressing their grievances.

Earlier, President RCCI Saboor Malik, gave a short briefing on RCCI activities.

He said traders were being harassed and their reputations were at stake due to recent raids by authorities on the account and smuggling.

He suggested to devise a proper frame work and issued notices prior sealing the business center. He assured his full support and assistance for anti-narcotics drives.