Sharjeel orders activation of Narcotics Control Unit in Excise Dept

16 teams of the unit will be deployed in Karachi according to the plan

KARACHI:

In a bid to tackle the menace of drug trafficking, the Sindh government has announced the activation of the Narcotics Control Unit within the Excise Department. This decision comes alongside plans to launch a crackdown on drug dealers across the province starting next week.

The decision was taken in a meeting that Senior Minister for Excise, Taxation, Transport, and Mass Transit Sharjeel Inam Memon convened on Thursday at the office of director general Excise to discuss strategies for combating drug-related issues. At the meeting, Memon gathered insights from officials and pledged to address any concerns they may have.

Attendees at the meeting included Excise Secretary Atifur Rehman, Excise DG Aurangzeb Panhwar, and Excise Administrator DG Riaz Hassan Khoso. A comprehensive briefing was provided to the senior minister regarding the department's operations.

Memon stressed the need to fully activate the Intelligence Unit of the Excise and Taxation Department and underscored the importance of making the Narcotics Control Unit fully operational. He stressed the urgency of taking strict action against drug dealers and ensuring the eradication of all types of drugs, including ice, heroin, hashish, opium, and raw liquor.

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As part of the plan, 16 teams of the Narcotics Control Unit will be deployed in Karachi. Moreover, it was decided in the meeting to link the renewal of vehicle registrations to the payment of excise duty and to subject route permits to taxation.

Memon directed the excise secretary to establish collaboration with the transport secretary for mutual cooperation and to reach out to government departments that are non-compliant with tax obligations. He highlighted that a significant portion of tax defaulting vehicles are commercial vehicles and emphasised that all such vehicles will be seized.

The senior minister announced plans to amend existing laws to ensure that no vehicle leaves showrooms without proper registration. He also called for the immediate withdrawal of additional charges from officers who have been assigned supplementary duties.

In addition to the crackdown on drug trafficking, instructions were issued during the meeting to take action against establishments involved in the production and distribution of raw liquor. Measures were also discussed to prevent casualties resulting from the consumption of illicit liquor.