‘Everyone in the country is consuming hashish,’ says Mandviwalla

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Saleem Mandviwalla remarked on the increasing use of cannabis in Pakistan on Friday, stating, "Everyone in the country is consuming hashish."

The remarks came during a Senate Finance Committee meeting, chaired by Mandviwalla, where officials from the Ministry of Science briefed members on the Hemp Control and Regulatory Authority Bill.

Mandviwalla raised concerns over whether hashish is harmful to health. Officials from the Ministry of Science and Technology responded, stating, "We need to assess the level of intoxication in it," adding that hashish, to some extent, falls under the category of entertainment.

Discussing the benefits of hemp, the officials highlighted that it can be used to produce cotton and improve soil fertility. Currently, hemp is cultivated on 50,000 acres in Pakistan.

The officials further noted, "If hashish is legalised, it could generate $5 billion in revenue." They added that, at present, hemp can only be used for hashish production.

The bill and policy were initially developed by the Ministry of Science, but disputes arose between the ministries of Science and Anti-Narcotics over their roles. It was eventually decided that the Ministry of Defence would take the lead in this sector.

Last month, the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) seized drugs worth over Rs20 million during various operations across the country. According to the ANF spokesperson, these anti-drug smuggling operations led to the arrest of five suspects and the recovery of over 234 kilogrammes of narcotics.

In one operation on the M1 Motorway near Islamabad, officials seized 123.6 kilogrammes of opium and 108 kilogrammes of hashish, arresting two suspects. In Faisalabad, 1.5 kilogrammes of heroin was found in the possession of a woman, while 400 grams of ice (crystal meth) were confiscated near Hub River Road, Karachi.

In a separate operation near a university in Karachi, 200 grams of hashish were also recovered.

All suspects have been charged under the Anti-Narcotics Act, with investigations underway.