101 drug peddlers arrested in special campaign

Islamabad : The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) has registered 80 cases and arrested 101 persons in Islamabad during its special campaign, launched a year back against drug peddlers and to stop proliferation of drugs in educational institutions.

The authorities, in around 80 different operations in the federal capital, recovered 26.07 kg heroin, 198.36 kg charas, 0.009 kg cocaine and 5.130 kg opium during the period.

As per information provided by the Ministry of Narcotics Control here, two pronged strategy is being pursued regarding halting of proliferation of drugs i.e. drug demand reduction and drug supply reduction while awareness activities against drug abuse have also been conducted since October 2017. In total, the ANF has conducted 451 operations during last three years under its campaign against drug suppliers to educational institutions across the country and to save youth from the menace of drugs.

The ministry also took steps under which educational authorities were advised to establish their Internal Monitoring and Enforcement System.

Cultivation of sources, informers and acquisition of actionable intelligence in educational institutions has also been beefed up while coordination and liaison with schools, colleges, universities/institutions has been increased to check inflow of drugs among the students.

Moreover, areas around educational institutions are being monitored on regular basis to stop / counter sale of drugs to students by peddlers/suppliers.

The authorities also launched campaign / crackdown against drug peddlers involving police under Inter Agencies Task Force (IATF) forum while intelligence network of ANF has been expanded inside main cities to locate and hunt drug smugglers / peddlers.

Students and heads of various institutions from all over the country were also invited at drug burning ceremonies every year.

Mass awareness about harms of drugs amongst students, teachers and various administrative staff is being launched including delivering lectures, talks in schools, colleges and universities while visits of students and teachers are arranged to ANF outfits for awareness.

Similarly, as per awareness campaign, under training Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASPs) in National Police Academy were delivered (narcotics/synthetics) lectures by clinical psychologists and internationally certified professional trainers.

Sessions with officers and officials of National Highways and Motorways Police, Pakistan Girls Guide Association (PGGA), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and other areas, seminar on Drugs Abuse and Prevention at National University of Modern Language (NUML) and Awareness Walks in Islamabad and Murree were also arranged.

Moreover, the number of active youth ambassadors from different educational institutions throughout the country has crossed 5,000 mark under a programme launched to promote mass awareness and highlight emerging trends of drugs abuse, especially amongst students.

Anti-Narcotics Force had launched Youth Ambassador Programme few years back which provides platform for projecting young talent to channelize role of youth, thus serving humanity and society.