The Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control Ch. Nisar Ali Khan appreciated the performance of Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) for seizing narcotics worth Rs.3.985 billion in a span of six months.
The Interior Minister said that acknowledgement and appreciation, at regional as well as international level, of ANF as a leading counter drug agency is a matter of satisfaction.
The ANF director general Maj. Gen. Nasir Dilawar Shah presented a report on mid-year performance of the ANF to the Interior Minister.
The ANF operations up to June 2016 helped the agency seize 49.12 Tons of Narcotics. A breakdown of seized drugs included 2.233 Tons of Heroin, 33.248 Tons of Hashish, 7.703 Tons Opium, 1.443 Tons Morphine, 1.62 Kg Cocaine, 931.87 Kg Amphetamine, 6.085 Kg Methamphetamine, 790 Ecstasy Tablets and 28550 Xanax Tablets. During this period 3.55 Tons of Precursors (chemical used in preparation of drugs) were also seized.
During the same period, 426 cases were registered and 506 drug criminals arrested. It includes 57 cases at airports and 11 cases of parcel consignments destined abroad.
A special Anti Drug Drive was also launched in April 2016 focusing on educational institutions at Islamabad and all provincial capitals which helped the agency to seize drugs priced worth of Rs1.17 billion in international market. In this connection 136 operations were conducted by the ANF across Pakistan, which resulted in arrest of 155 drug suppliers and seizure of 19 vehicles. During the operations 1.344 tons of narcotics was recovered, including 44.726 Kg Heroin, 1274.775 Kg Hashish, 23.150 Kg Opium and 1.120 Kg Cocaine. Majority of the operations were undertaken at Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Lahore, Attock, Haripur, Peshawar, Kohat, Multan, Gilgit, Sukkur, Karachi, Quetta and Qilla Abdullah.
The interior minister appreciated the leadership of the ANF for speedy trials to meet justice, which included comprehensive ground-work by investigation officers, deliberate preparations by prosecutors and ensuring timely appearance of witnesses.
The hard work paid dividends resulting in successful prosecution of narcotics related cases.
The investigations also concluded in freezing of property (property withheld) worth Rs 301.55 Million, as well as realization of property (Property auctioned) worth Rs 6.95 Million.
Regarding Drug Demand Reduction activities, 195 country-wide activities were conducted by ANF including lectures, free medical camps, sports events, workshops, poster competitions, musical shows and distribution of awareness material.
ANF Drug Addiction Hospitals treated 318 patients at Islamabad, Quetta and Karachi.
The ANF is also in process of upgrading drug treatment facilities, for which 45-bedded Treatment Center at Rawalpindi has already been renovated, while 55-bedded Treatment Centre at Karachi is undergoing expansion with addition of female and children wards.
The ANF is also constructing a 100-bedded Treatment Center at Peshawar which will be operationlized by end of this year.
The interior minister directed ANF to ensure timely completion of treatment centre at Peshawar.
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