Senator Hidayatullah Khan calls for national effort to eliminate narcotics & protect youth
ISLAMABAD, Oct 01 (SABAH): A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Narcotics Control, chaired by Senator Hidayatullah Khan, convened on Tuesday at the Parliament House. In attendance were Senator Dost Muhammad Khan, Senator Abdul Shakoor Khan, Senator Mir Dostain Khan Domki, Senator Manzoor Ahmed, the Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Narcotics, the Director General OF Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), the Director (ANF), and the senior officials from the Ministry of Narcotics.
The Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Narcotics presented an overview of the organizational structure and functions of the Ministry and its attached departments. He emphasized that the Ministry has established various bilateral agreements with multiple countries to combat narcotics in Pakistan. It was highlighted that Pakistan has maintained a poppy-free status since 2021, and a total of 622.034 metric tons of drugs have been seized since 2023. Furthermore, it was reported that 14,509 awareness activities have been conducted since 2023, with 37 Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) signed with different countries and an additional 29 MOUs currently under process. The total allocated budget was reported as Rs. 7,593.952 million, of which Rs. 265.100 million was allocated to the Ministry of Narcotics Control (Main) and Rs. 7,328.852 million to the Anti-Narcotics Force. The national funds balance was reported as Rs. 401.133 million.
The Director General of the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) highlighted the department’s shortage of manpower, a concern that has been raised with the government but has yet to be addressed. Emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts to protect future generations, he stressed that combating the spread of narcotics should be treated as a national emergency. With political support, he noted, the issue can be controlled.
Furthermore, Senator Abdul Shakoor Khan expressed concern that Gulistan Tehsil has become a hub for narcotics, with the prevalence of drug use now 1,000 times higher than it was three years ago. He recommended that the Committee request a five-year record detailing how many offenders were apprehended and punished in both session court and high court.
The Director of the ANF also briefed that in coordination with the Higher Education Commission (HEC), efforts have been initiated to curb the prevalence of narcotics in universities, with a total focus on 255 institutions. He further reported that a special campaign to control narcotics was conducted in September 2024. Presenting statistics on actions taken from 11 September to 29 September 2024, he stated that 56 culprits have been arrested from various universities. Additionally, he mentioned that each of the listed universities has established a separate anti-drug and tobacco committee. The Director also provided an update on initiatives for drug demand reduction, highlighting that they are offering free-of-charge rehabilitation treatment and approximately 27,000 patients have already been treated at the rehabilitation centers.
The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Hidayatullah Khan, remarked that we should all pledge to rid the country of all forms of narcotics, and we must strive to eliminate this menace as it causes significant harm to our nation. It is particularly damaging to our youth, who, as a result, lose their ability to understand or comprehend anything. He also stated that we must take responsibility to protect our capable children, those who aspire to become doctors or engineers from falling into the trap of narcotics. He emphasized that this is one of the greatest challenges we face.
In his closing remarks, he added that we should address this issue with the spirit of jihad. In universities, even our youth are no longer able to perform to their potential due to the influence of drugs. This is a challenge we must confront and eradicate. He further stated that he would urge the Prime Minister to provide the Anti-Narcotics Force with all necessary facilities to effectively curb this problem. Moving forward, we will make every effort to combat this menace.