KP govt considers strictest punishment for ice dealers

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has drafted a new law to go after the dealers and smugglers of ice (crystal meth) under which those possessing more than one kilogram of the synthetic drug can be punished with death or imprisoned for life, a source told The News.

The law was a longstanding demand of the law-enforcement agencies, who have been struggling to take action against the dealers and smugglers of ice for the last few years. The use of ice and other synthetic drugs have recorded an alarming increase, especially among the youth, over the past several years.

“The proposed draft says that no one shall produce, manufacture, extract, possess, offer for sale, purchase, distribute, deliver on any terms whatsoever, transport or dispatch methamphetamine except for medical, scientific or industrial purpose in the manner and subject to conditions, as may be specified by the government,” it said.

The draft bill of law is likely to be passed soon.

The draft stated that imprisonment for life or for a term which may extend to 14 years and with a fine which may extend to Rs1 million if the quantity of the methamphetamine carried or possessed by anyone exceeds one kilogram. It proposed up to 10 years imprisonment for possessing over 100 grams to less than one kilogram and seven years imprisonment for carrying less than 100 grams of ice.

The draft bill proposed setting up of special courts and a force for going after the dealers and smugglers. It also proposed rehabilitation and registration of the addicts to make them useful citizens.

A source said that apart from other departments, the authorities of the capital city police in Peshawar have written to the government on a number of occasions to amend the Control of Narcotics Substances Act 1997 to increase penalty for those selling, smuggling and using ice and heroin. Under the existing law, the maximum punishment for carrying 100 grams or less of the drug is two years. The punishment for carrying drugs of more than 100 grams and less than a kilogram under the existing law is seven years.

The police informed through the letter that the use of ice increases criminal tendencies and that is the reason 95 percent of addicts in Australia have committed murders and armed robberies. The users of the drug have reached 25 million all over the world.

It added that since the drug is expensive, the addicts earn money to buy it through committing robberies, snatching and other crimes. The use pf ice causes several health problems.

There have been reports about an increase in the use of the synthetic drug, which is also sometimes called party drug. Not in Peshawar alone, but the addicts of ice have alarmingly increased in other parts of the province and country.

Police have launched an ‘Ice-Free Peshawar’ campaign since mid-August and constituted special teams in all the divisions under the respective SPs to go after the smugglers and dealers. According to Capital City Police Officer Qazi Jamilur Rehman, coordination with other agencies, including the Anti-Narcotics Force and the Excise Department, is being improved in this regard.

“Apart from carrying out operations and developing intelligence network for identification of ice manufacturers, sellers, and peddlers, the police have started an awareness campaign through the mainstream and social media to inform the people, especially youth, about the harms of ice and heroin,” Qazi Jamilur Rehman told The News.

He added that the police were working in liaison with universities’ administration to engage them in curbing the sale and distribution of such drugs amongst the youth. He said the civil society, religious scholars, elected representatives, the district administration and elders in public circles were also engaged in the awareness campaign.