Minister says efforts against drugs underway

MANSEHRA: Federal Minister for Narcotics Control Azam Khan Swati has said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government is making efforts to curb drug consumption.

“It has been happening for the first time that we are arresting narcotics barons to save our youths, daughters and coming generations from the stigma of narcotics addiction,” Swati told reporters after chairing a meeting of the Anti-Narcotics Force here on Monday. He said that effective operations were being carried out by the ANF across the country and during the last one month, huge contraband items were seized. “Media and civil society should come forward and extend their support in bringing narcotics peddlers to justice,” he said.

The federal minister said that the use of contraband had increased drastically in Hazara division, which is why ANF was actively operating in the division.“I am sorry to say that since the 18th constitutional amendment, the basic responsibility to control the narcotics rests with the provinces but this is not the case actually,” said Swati. “I have been visiting each and every district from Karachi up to Kohistan to personally monitor the situation on the ground and adopt effective measures, which could clean my country of narcotics,” said Swati.The federal minister also appealed to the courts to take narcotics peddlers to justice as they were not only the enemies of the county but also the killers of youths.