Pakistan has sought help of UK Government to establish Drug Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation centers in the country and to start development projects in poppy growing areas especially in Balochistan. This was discussed in a meeting between Federal Minister for Narcotics Control Nawabzada Khwaja Muhammad Khan Hoti and British High Commissioner Robert Brinkley who called on him here on Friday.
The Minister said a proposal for setting up 8 Model Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers (MATRCs) in different cities with the total cost of Rs 72 million is under consideration as the existing facilities in the field of DDR are insufficient and added two MATRCs have already been established in Islamabad and Quetta at the cost of Rs 44.304 million. Logistic support in the form of vehicles and operational training to the officials of the ministry in order to fight menace of narcotics also came under discussion.
The British High Commissioner was informed that government of Pakistan is implementing two projects namely Community Participation in Drug Demand Reduction (DDR) and Creating Mass Awareness against Drug Abuse at a total cost of Rs 32 million and Rs 39 million respectively for a period of three years.
British Government's support of about one millions pounds annually to Anti Narcotics Force (ANF), donation of three ion-track machines, which have been installed at Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore Airports, and assistance in formulation of Drug Abuse Control Master Plan (2009-13) also discussed in the meeting.-PR