ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have decided to revive anti-drug trafficking initiatives in a meeting held between the Interior Minister and Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Pakistan.
To check the massive inflow of illicit drugs Rehman Malik and Saudi envoy Abdul Aziz bin Ibrahim al Ghadeer have discussed ways to discourage Pakistanis from smuggling drugs to the peninsula. The two countries are likely to work towards a new agreement in light of existing anti-narcotics laws, according to a senior interior ministry official. The ambassador also stressed the need to enhance cooperation in intelligence sharing.
The Saudi Narcotics Police arrested 195 Pakistanis on charges of smuggling drugs last year. They were later indicted for the offence. Around 20 Pakistanis arrested with drugs in their possession were beheaded. Pakistan did not approach the Saudi Government for contesting its citizens’ cases, nor did it arrange for legal assistance. Saudi authorities proceeded with their trial in compliance with local laws which give death sentences to persons convicted for drug trafficking.
Malik expressed his concern on the arrest of a record number of Pakistanis on charges of smuggling narcotics who went to Saudi Arabia during Hajj in the last two years. Various gangs active in smuggling to the Gulf and Saudi Arabia use pilgrims in their operations.
During the meeting, Malik assured the ambassador that efforts will be made to check the number of drug traffickers boarding from Pakistan. Aziz assured the interior minister that legal assistance would be provided to Pakistanis languishing in Saudi prisons. Officials said Pakistan should review its anti-narcotics laws if it wants to achieve a modicum of success in curbing drug trafficking.
Former interior minister Aftab Sherpao was of the view that both countries should enhance security cooperation and intelligence sharing to control smuggling of narcotics as well as prohibited medicines. He said that Pakistan should revise its laws and enforce strict penalties since Saudi laws do not offer reprieve to drug smugglers.
Former interior secretary Tasneem Noorani suggested the government launch awareness campaigns to educate people on the death penalty for drug smugglers prescribed by Saudi law. Replying to a question regarding legal assistance for Pakistani prisoners in Saudi Arabia, he said that the government does not care because a majority of the traffickers come from poor families. When he was the secretary interior, the government did not offer legal aid to drug smugglers arrested in Saudi Arabia.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 10th, 2011.
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