PAC for sealing Afghan border to control drug smuggling

Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has stressed the need for a complete check on poppy cultivation and drug trafficking, terming the drug money as the main source of terrorism. The Committee was reviewing the report of the Ministry of Narcotics Control, in its meeting held here on Tuesday with Yasmeen Rehman in the chair.
The Committee suggested sealing the entire Afghan border so that drugs could not be smuggled to Pakistan. Ministry of Narcotics Control informed the PAC that Afghanistan was the main source of drug production, as it produces 650 metric tonnes of heroin, which is 35 to 40 percent of the total world heroin production. The committee was further informed that 123,000 acres of land in Afghanistan was under poppy cultivation at present.
The Ministry officials were of the view that Pakistan was declared poppy-free country in 2001 along with Afghanistan, but later the farmers were not given incentives, which forced them to enter into poppy cultivation again.
The Audit Authorities informed the Committee that in 2003 the Ministry was provided with funds for provision of support to farmers. The policy was not implemented and funds were not distributed properly, which resulted in the decline of traditional crops' cultivation.
The PAC directed the Ministry to raise the matter with the government, donors and Afghanistan to save the young generation of Pakistan. Secretary Ministry of Narcotics Control informed the PAC that the Ministry had only a role of coordination between the donor agencies and farmers regarding the eradication of the poppy cultivation.
The Committee was further informed that three important projects, for the eradication of poppy cultivation, were being executed in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC) and USAID. These include Bajaur Area Development Project worth Rs 537 million, Muhmand Area Development Project worth Rs 664 million and Khyber Area Development Project worth 926 million. These projects aimed at ensuring eradication of poppy cultivation by motivating farmers to adopt other crops for cultivation and to provide alternate livelihoods.
The PAC directed the Ministry to also check poppy cultivation if being carried out in Punjab and Sindh provinces. The PAC also reviewed the audit paras of Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) and expressed dismay over the regularisation of contract employees, who were hired on projects basis.
The Secretary OPF informed the PAC that the employees were regularised after final nod from the Board of Governors of the OPF. The Chairperson of the PAC ruled that the BoGs of Bank of Punjab and National Insurance Corporation had also given approval, but the worst financial scams surfaced as a result of those approvals. The PAC directed the Secretary OPF to take up the matter with the Ministry of Law and other authorities concerned to settle it and submit report to the committee within 15 days.
The audit authorities informed the committee that the regularisation of the employees was against the rules and the payment of Rs 18.588 million made to them was irregular and needs to be recovered. The Secretary OPF informed the Committee that total 305 persons were inducted in the OPF during three years (2006 to 2008).