KP sets up anti-narcotics task force

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has constituted a task force on anti-narcotics for prevention and elimination of illicit production and manufacturing of narcotics including illicit cultivation of poppy and matters related to countering trafficking of drugs.

“Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is pleased to declare ‘Narcotics Emergency’ in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and hereby constitute the ‘Provincial Task Force on Anti-Narcotics,’ with several members and ToRs,” said a notification issued on Thursday.

The chief minister is the chairman of the task force and the members will include ministers for excise, higher education, Elementary & Secondary Education, the special assistant for social welfare, the chief secretary, the provincial police officer, additional chief secretary home & tribal affairs, the secretaries of various departments, the commissioner Peshawar division, director general Anti-Narcotic Force Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and any other co-opted member from government or private sector including civil society organisations.

The government has also set several terms of references (ToRs) of the task force, including prevention and elimination of illicit production and manufacturing of narcotics including illicit cultivation of poppy, if any; matters related to countering trafficking of drugs including street peddling, prevention and countering the supply and sale of illicit drugs to schools, colleges and university students, including hostels.