ANF burns 9.487 tonnes of drugs

ISLAMABAD:

The Anti-Narcotics Force on Monday torched around 9.487 tonnes of narcotics as part of its annual Central Drug Burning Ceremony in Islamabad.

The narcotics torched carry an approximate street value of around $6.277 million. Of this, 536.625 kilogrammes of heroin, 5.683 tonnes of hashish, 356.259 kilogrammes of opium, 88.713 kilogrammes of amphetamines, 17.032 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamines (Ice), 5.636 kilogrammes of Xanax tablets and 2.805 tonnes of assorted narcotics.

Addressing the ceremony, Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) Director General ANF Major General Arif Malik said that menace of narcotics is not only a curse but is one of the most damaging and life-threatening for humanity.

He further highlighted that no single country or organization can fight against this menace independently, rather, it is a shared responsibility at the global and domestic level.

The region, he said, produces over 90% of the world’s opiates which puts Pakistan at double the risk of being a victim as well as a transit country. However, he said that thanks to their efforts, Pakistan has been enjoying the status of a poppy-free state since 2001 as per standards of the United Nations Office on Drug Control (UNODC).

This year, he said, the ANF launched a nation-wide “Anti-Drug Campaigns” with a special focus on educational institutions. Federal Narcotics Control Minister Azam Swati stated that Pakistan is facing both internal and external threats. Under these circumstances, he said, drug-related crimes badly affect society. Hence, he argued, it was mandatory to tackle this menace with iron hands.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 24^th, 2020.