Governor NWFP Lieutenant General Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah on Wednesday put on fire narcotics seized by the Customs authorities and Anti Narcotics Force during different raids in the Frontier province in connection with Custom Day being celebrated the world over on January 26. The seized drugs which was ignited included 4738.28 Kg hashish, 65 Kg heroin and 54 kg chemicals here at Regi Lalma.
The governor also burnt to ashes 7144.05 expired medicines and 3610.23 fake cigarettes packs.
Collector Custom Liaquat Ali Agha, officials of Anti Narcotics Force were present on the occasion.
The governor in his address on the occasion declared that the government succeeded in its endeavours to make the country poppy free.
However, he called for taking more steps to maintain the zero level poppy cultivation in the country at the time of sowing season.
Governor Iftikhar said efforts are on to motivate the poppy growers about the ill effects of this crop and to convince them to cultivate alternate cash crops in their fields. He told that there are two million drug users in the country and said the government has taken various measures to rehabilitate them on permanent basis.
The governor contended that poppy was mainly sown in border areas with Afghanistan.