Harmful chemicals such as toluene, potassium permanganate and methyl ethyl ketene were freely obtainable in the market and yet the narcotics control has done nothing to stop their open sale or maintain check on importers of these chemicals which go in the production of drugs.
The import of such chemicals should be made on the basis of NOC from the Ministry. This observation was made by Chair Kalsoom Perveen, during the meeting of the Standing Committee held here on Tuesday. The Senator was not satisfied with the Ministry's performance, saying the Narcotics Control Ministry had failed to check the menace of illicit drugs and their sale.
She said, the Ministry should increase inter-provincial coordination and also review the working of a number of organisations that are engaged in fighting drug proliferation. Their operations must also be evaluated and interdiction operations of different law enforcement agencies must also be done.
She also directed the Ministry to chalk out new strategies to effectively control drug trafficking. Other members of the Committee said they had no wish to impede industrial growth, but insisted on appropriate check and balance to discourage misuse in view of striking rise in illicit drugs trade. 'The situation called for strict actions against those involved in this heinous crime,' they remarked.
Earlier, the Committee received a briefing on policy-making aspects for controlling this menace. Tahira Latif, Nisar Memon, Sardar Mehmood Khan, Mir Israrullah Khan, Syed Muhammad Hussain, Maulana Gul Naseeb Khan and Rehmatullah Kakar attended the meeting besides the minister Ghaus Bux Khan Mehar.