KARACHI: The Sindh government and the Federal Ministry of Narcotics have joined hands to eradicate menace of drugs from the society, particularly from educational institutions and block the different routes from where drugs are smuggled to Karachi by evolving a joint mechanism and deployment of concerned forces.
The chief minister Sindh, Murad Ali Shah, approved a taskforce comprising the CM himself and federal minister for interior to monitor the situation once in a month and constituted committees with representation from Anti-Narcotics Force, Sindh police and Excise police to conduct intelligence-based crack down on the drug smugglers and peddlers.
These decisions were taken in a meeting held here at CM House which was attended by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah with his team and the federal Minister for narcotics Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti and his team.
Those who attended the meeting include ANF Commander Brigadier Viqar Haider, Major Mohammad Ali and Abdul Salam Khetran.
The CM was assisted by his Education Minister Syed Sardar Shah, Minister Excise & Narcotic Mukesh Chawla, Minister Social Welfare Sajid Jokhio, Advisor law Murtaza Wahab, IG Sindh Mushtaq Maher, Adl IG Karachi Ghulam Nabi Memon, IG Prison Kazir Nazir, Secretary Excise, and others.
The chief minister said that use of narcotics was emerging at an alarming pace in our society. “Drugs proliferation in Pakistan increased after the Afghan war,” he said and quoting a survey said that around 6.8 million drug users were estimated in Pakistan. “The slum areas serve as breeding grounds for drug abuse and trafficking,” Shah said and added “the slums of Lyari and Sohrab Goth are the main hub of narcotics activity in Karachi.” Additional IG Karachi Ghulam Nabi Memon giving a detailed briefing pointed out that the menace has now penetrated the educational system. He added that both men and women were using various narcotics substances in colleges and universities.
He said that there is a strong nexus between narcotics and crime. Most of the street criminals are narcotics addicts. The drugs used by addicts include, hashish, cannabis, heroin, cocaine, crack, amphetamines, crystal/ICE, ecstasy/ barbiturates/ benzodiazepines.
The meeting was told that the narcotics were neither cultivated nor manufactured in Sindh. Narcotics reach into Karachi through four different routes. They are from Balochistan through Kambar, Larkana, Dadu and Jamshoro to Karachi. Another route is from Balochistan through Quetta, Sorab, Khuzdar, Wadh, Uthal, Gadani, Hub and then to Karachi. The third route is from Punjab through Kashmore and reaches Karachi via Shikarpur, Larkana, Dadu and Jamshoro. The fourth route is from Punjab through Sadiqabad and reaches Karachi via Pano Aqil, Sukkur, Khairpur, Hyderabad, Thatta and then to Karachi.
The chief minister said that the Sindh Assembly has passed Control of Narcotics Substance (Sindh Amendment) Bill-2021. He added that the new the amendment Bill has included use of synthetic drugs as a crime. “It defines narcotics drugs in two categories. The Category-I includes coca leaf, cannabis, and poppy straw while in Category- II are cocaine, heroin and all manufactured drugs or any other such contraband substances.
Additional IG Police told the meeting that 1714 narcotics peddlers have been identified, of them 396 are in jail, 440 on bail and 878 at large.
The IG Prison Qazi Nair told the meeting that 22,970 prisoners, including 346 drug users and 22624 drug traffickers have been confined in different prisons of the province. “Out of 346 drug users two are convicted while and out of 22624 drug traffickers 727 are convicted.”
According to IG Prison the drug using prisoners are kept in separate wards and they are regularly visited by specialists of the health department, as well as, Prison Medical Officers and provided with proper medication. Screening of drug users/ addicts is carried out regularly and necessary prediction, treatment therapy is provided to them inside the prison. Rehabilitated measures/ efforts are taken by the Prison Department for reformation of drug users/ addicts so that they could get rid from using narcotics and lead normal life after release from the prison.
Separate wards are established inside the prison for keeping the drug users/ addicts away from the other prisoners. Strict search/ vigilance is carried out to prohibit entry of narcotics inside the prison and the articles brought by the prisoners and their visitors are thoroughly checked. The prisoners are also physically searched after returning from court production, interview and at the time of admission.
The meeting was told that the provincial government has installed baggage screening machines at Central Prison Karachi, Central Prison Hyderabad and Central Prison Sukkur.
The chief minister said that his government has established two rehabilitation centres: at Haryana Colony Orangi and Landhi. He added that he allocated four more buildings for drug rehabilitation centres: Sports and Youth Affairs Development Centre Malir, Pak Colony, 100-bed hospital New Karachi and KMC Leprosy hospital Manghopir. “We are committed to purge our educational institutions, government and private, of drugs but we can clean the city if the ANF joins our hands,” he said.
At this Federal Minister for Narcotics Shazain Bugti assured the chief minister that ANF was at the disposal of the provincial government, and ‘we would work together to purge the society from menace and mafia’.
The CM also formed a joint committee comprising officials of Excise & Narcotic dept, Sindh police and Anti-narcotics Force for conducting intelligence-based operations in the province in general and in the city in particular. The committee would be notified by the Sindh government.
The meeting decided that the provincial borders would be sealed and a major operation against the drug mafia would be carried out by Sindh police, Excise & narcotics police and ANF.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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