Society to be made drug-free, says minister

Minister for Narcotics Control Shehryar Khan Afridi Wednesday said the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), despite the limited resources, was performing its duties effectively for elimination of narcotics from society.

He expressed these views while addressing the “Annual Drugs Burning” ceremony organised by ANF here at Regional Directorate of the force. The minister said that ANF’s efforts for ensuring provision of medical facilities to addicts were laudable, adding that drugs seized by the ANF, if not burnt today could make the youth of the country victim of drug abuse, causing damage to next generation.

Shehryar Khan Afridi said the government was committed to ensure drug-free society as the world community had attached huge expectations with Pakistan for eradication of drugs.Addressing on the occasion, Commander Anti-Narcotics Force Punjab Brig Khalid Mahmood Goraya said that ANF organised such ceremonies annually to aware the people about drugs harmful effects, adding that use of drugs could be completely eliminated if the civil society join hands with the government institutions.

He said the drugs burnt included: 554.144kg heroin, 10,591.270kg hashish, 616.521kg opium, 62.0270kg amphetamine, 117,225 bottles of liquor, 1,110 morphine injections, 868.065kg marijuana and 1.590kg cocaine.

The ANF Force Commander said that during the year 2019, the ANF had registered 374 cases against drugs smugglers besides arresting 436 accused, whereas the special ANF courts had ordered death sentence to two culprits, life imprisonments to 21 culprits and other penalties to 341 person, he maintained.