CM orders crackdown on drug trafficking

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Friday directed the officials to launch a crackdown on drug trafficking throughout the province along with introducing amendments to the relevant laws to increase punishments for those involved in such cases.

He issued the directives while chairing a meeting on narcotics control, said a handout.

Inspector General Police Moazzam Jah Ansari, Secretary Excise and Taxation Syed Iqbal Haider, Peshawar Division Commissioner Riaz Khan Mehsud, Capital City Police Officer of Peshawar Ijaz Khan and other senior officials attended the meeting.

The chief minister stated that it was reprehensible to see drug abuse on the rise among the youth despite the existence of police and anti-narcotics bodies.

He called for curbing the abuse at the source along with increased patrolling on routes used for drug smuggling.

Mahmood Khan directed the relevant officials to amend the relevant laws to increase punishments and ensure the imprisonment of drug traffickers.

He added that the proposals should be finalised and presented before the next cabinet meeting. The chief minister directed for reactivation of the Narcotics Eradication Team to tighten the noose around drug traffickers and effectively carry out actions against culprits.

He directed the relevant officials to put in place a vibrant monitoring system at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat and the district level to regularly observe the actions against narcotics traffickers and peddlers.

The chief minister was told that 1,300 drug addicts had been rehabilitated during the campaign in Peshawar. He ordered replication of the same model in all divisional headquarters to ensure the availability of rehabilitation facilities throughout the province.

It was told that 987 suspects had been arrested and 7,470 kg hashish, 834 kg heroin 526 kg opium 245 kg methamphetamine (ice) and 25,249 litres of alcohol seized by the Excise and Narcotics Control Department in the last four years.

Mahmood Khan was informed that 1,500 cases had been registered against persons involved in drug trafficking and the same number of people were arrested last year.