ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel, on Tuesday, expressed serious concern over the rise in drug addiction in the country, with around 6.9 million people addicted to drugs and no place for treatment of around two million addicts.
A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Narcotics Control was held under the chairmanship of Senator Ejaz Ahmed Chaudhry.
The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) officials told the committee that only one rehabilitation center has been set up in Sukkur in Pakistan in the last two years.
He said that at present, the government has four rehabilitation centres for the treatment of drug addicts, one of which is in Islamabad, while the other three are in Sindh, which is funded by the government of Sindh and for the rehabilitation center in Islamabad, the funding is provided by the ANF.
Ministry of Narcotics Control Secretary Kaleem Imam admitted that there is a shortage of rehabilitation centers in the country and the existing ones are not up to standard.
He said that parliamentarians’ help is needed to set up more rehabilitation centers as well as to control this menace in the country.
The chairman of the committee expressed concern that the scourge of drug addiction was on the rise in the country and especially in the educational institutes.
He said concerted efforts are needed to overcome this menace in the country.
When asked about the rehabilitation center set up in the country by Senator Behram and Khan Tangi in the last two years, the ANF officials said that only one rehabilitation center has been set up in the last two years.
On this, the committee members expressed serious concerns.
Tangi also pointed out fake rehabilitation centers in the country and stated that fake centers are being set up in Charsadda.
He demanded that action should be taken against these fake rehab centers.
At which, the secretary Ministry of Narcotics Control assured the committee that operation would be conducted against fake centers in Charsadda.
The chairman of the committee directed to conduct an operation against the fake rehabilitation centers and submit a detailed report to the committee.
The ANF officials briefed the committee on the organisation’s performance and the problems it faces.
They said the ANF has a severe shortage of manpower and funds.
The total number of ANF officials is 3,076, according to which there is only one official for 125,000 people.
He said that if funds and manpower are provided then the performance of the organisation can be further improved.
Tangi said thatif they ask for better results from the ANF, resources are needed to be provided.
Senator Jam Mehtab Hussain Dahar said that they would extend all support to the ANF in whatever problems the organisation has so that this menace can be eradicated.
The ANF officials said that 11,972 youths are working in educational institutes across the country for raising awareness to save the people from this menace.
The chairman of the committee said that about 6.9 million people in the country are addicted to drugs.
This number is very low and add more youths to it for raising awareness.
He said that they can provide assistance to provide more youths for this work.
The secretary said that there is no place in the country for treatment of two million drug addicts. The federation and the provinces need to work together to overcome this problem. The chairman of the committee told the secretary that if a proposal in this regard is brought before the committee, they will bring a resolution in the house in this regard.
Some amendments were made by the ANF in the Control of Narcotics Substances (Amendment) Act 2021 presented to the committee by Senator Shahadat Awan, which was unanimously approved.
According to the proposed amendment, a personnel or officer below the rank of ASI will not be able to search, seize and arrest at public places. Briefing about the budget of the ANF, the director Budget and Accounts, ANF, said that there has been a shortfall of Rs414 million in the current financial year.
He said that the budget of the ANF for the financial year 2020-21 was Rs2,751.722 million, while the demand of the organisation for the financial year 2021-22 was Rs3,793 million, out of which Rs3,378.159 million was provided.
The official said that after 2019, receiving money from donors have also stopped.
At present, the agency is relying on 99 percent of government funds only.
The chairman of the committee said that the budget should be prepared now and send recommendations to the committee, so that steps can be taken for the betterment of the institution in time.
The director accounts told the committee that the organisation has currently three helicopters provided by the UK, one of which is non-operational, while the other two helicopters need to be overhauled.
After which, the two helicopters will be useful for another 10 years.
In order to set up rehabilitation centers in the country and eradicate the scourge of drugs, the chairman of the committee sent letters to the health departments and social welfare centers of all the provinces and directed them to hold a joint meeting on the issue.
He also asked for details at the next meeting regarding pending appeals.
Dost Mohammad Khan, Behram and Khan Tangi, Shahadat Awan, Jam Mehtab Hussain, and Prof Sajid Mir, attended the committee meeting, while Secretary Kaleem Imam, the Ministry of Law, and ANF officials, also attended the meeting.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021