Senate panel retains death penalty for certain drugs

Recovery of 10 kg of ice meth, heroin or cocaine will lead to at least 20 years of imprisonment

RAWALPINDI:

The Senate Standing Committee on Anti-Narcotics has approved the retention of capital punishment on the usage of heroin, cocaine, and ice-meth over a certain amount.

The meeting of the Senate panel was convened by Ijaz Chaudhry on Tuesday. During the meeting, Anti-Narcotics Secretary Akbar Durrani briefed the participants on the inclusion of punishments on recovery of the aforementioned drugs in the draft of the Control of Narcotics Substances (Second Amendment) Bill, 2020.

Talking to the media after the meeting, the committee chairman said that the bill was passed by the National Assembly and referred to the Senate.

Chaudhry maintained that the bill passed by the National Assembly had abolished capital punishment in drug recovery cases while the standing committee has retained capital punishment on certain types and quantities of drugs.

He stated that recovery of 10 kilogrammes (kg) of ice meth, heroin or cocaine will lead to at least 20 years of imprisonment. The chairman added that capital punishment will also remain on peddlers supplying drugs in and around educational institutions.

He further said that they do not want the abolishment of capital punishment which will end deterrence among the nefarious elements part of the menace. The Senator maintained that they need to focus on rehabilitation centres for drug addicts in the future now.

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Chaudhry said that they are proposing the inclusion of drug addicts in the Sehat Insaf Health Card and earmarking for beds for such patients in hospitals. Along with this, the chairman said that budget should be allocated for the awareness campaign under Ehsaas Programme.

He also urged religious scholars to raise awareness about the issue during Friday sermons and stressed the inclusion of anti-narcotic topics in curriculums from grade one to 10. He added that these proposals will be deliberated in the next meeting of the panel.

The final approval of the amendment was given after unanimous approval by the members.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 1^st, 2021.