KP CM directs ET&NC dept to take measures to discourage use of narcotics

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan Thursday directed the Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control department to take concrete measures to discourage the use of narcotics in order to protect youth from drugs addiction.

He also directed the quarters concerned for early vetting of rules drafted under Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Control of Narcotics Bill 2019.

The CM issued these directives while chairing a meeting of Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department to review the progress and other reforms initiatives undertaken by the department.

Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Excise Ghazan Jamal, Secretary Excise Islam Zeb, Director General Excise Fayyaz Ali Shah and others attended the meeting.

The chair expressed satisfaction over the progress made so far. However, he directed the authorities concerned to adopt realistic timelines for the implementation of reforms initiatives being undertaken by the department.

Mahmood Khan, on the occasion, said that use of narcotics can be reduced upto considerable extent by controlling narcotics production industries and its supply.

The chief minister also directed the authorities to take steps for the rehabilitation of drug addicts.

Earlier, while briefing the meeting about progress, it was told that during the last fiscal year a total of Rs. 2917.144 million taxes had been collected while during the last five months of current financial year a total of Rs1335.56 million had been collected.

Similarly, during the last two years excise department seized 2288 kg Hashish, 272.50 kg Heroin, 318.30 kg Opium, 9.48 kg Ice and 24497.50 liters alcohol adding that during the said period 355 accused had also been arrested.

Moreover, a huge quantity of narcotics including Hashish, Opium and Ice had been seized since July this year adding that 89 vehicles had been confiscated so far.

Briefing about the reforms initiatives of the department, it was informed that GIS based survey was underway in Peshawar and will be completed by the end of this month.

The GIS System in Peshawar is expected to be launched formally at the end of February 2021.

Similarly, work on GIS based survey in Abbottabad and Nowshera was started in October 2020 whereas PC-1 for Kohat and Bannu has also been approved. Further, it was informed a project for GIS based survey in district Mardan has been re-advertised and technical evaluation is in process.

The meeting was told that under the new GIS system multiple online facilities would be provided to citizens including E-Payments of property tax, online Challan, self assessment calculator both in English and Urdu version and online verification of Challan etc.

It was informed, besides the facility of payment through banks, multiple other options including Easy Paisa, Jazz Cash, U-Paisa, ATM, credit/debit card etc would be provided to facilitate the people.

The meeting was also briefed about the various important features of digital app prepared for online payments of property tax.

The authorities told that work was in process to introduce Universal number for the registration of motor vehicles throughout the province adding that five Narcotics Police Stations have also been established so far whereas under the Tax Facilitation Finance Act 2020, significant rebate have been given to tax payers in the various provincial taxes.