Narcotics Control Minister, Ghaus Bux Maher said that Afghanistan is producing 87 percent of world's opium, which has transformed Pakistan into a major transit route for drug smuggling.
He was addressing a workshop on 'Law Enforcement Aspects of National Drug Control Master Plan' here on Tuesday organised by the United Nations Office of Drugs Control (UNODC), Ministry of Narcotics Control and Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF).
Federal Minister said that an estimated 36 percent drugs produced in Afghanistan are smuggled through Pakistan.
The minister suggested that United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) should establish a large DEA set up in Dubai for the region adding that this initiative would benefit all neighbouring countries.
Ghaus said that the ministry will review its strategies and policies on supply reduction and drug demand reduction envisaged in the Drug Control Master Plan.
He said that experts should develop a concrete mechanism to determine and identify the quantities or percentage of narcotic drugs trafficked through neighbouring countries of Afghanistan ie Pakistan, Iran and Central Asian Republics and also directly from Afghanistan.
Ghaus Bux said that inadequacy of resources is hindering implementation of the master plan. He stressed the need for special efforts for skill enhancement in all areas of operations by earmarking adequate resources for training and equipment. The minister said that roots of the problem lie in the neighbouring country Afghanistan. Pakistan is a victim of this problem.
He suggested that the best policy would be to fight this menace by developing a well thought out strategy otherwise the porous border all around Afghanistan would continue to create problems for transit countries.
He said that there is a shift from the traditional transit route as opiates are also reaching western European destinations, North America and Australia through some of the Central Asian Republics and East European countries. He expressed his gratitude to the Narcotics Affairs Section of US Embassy for their support to law enforcement agencies, interdiction and eradication of poppy cultivation in the country.