Law enforcement agencies, ANF submit reports before NA committee
15 July, 2005
ISLAMABAD, July 16 (Online): Law enforcement agencies and Anti Narcotics Force on Friday submitted their reports before the joint meeting of National Assembly standing committee on narcotics control and Interior regarding poppy cultivation, interaction between law enforcement agencies and problems to control dug trafficking
The meeting was chaired by MNAs Sardar Talib Hasasn Nakai and Dr Nisar Ahmed
Documents of narcotics control ministry, submitted to the National Assembly (NA) standing committee on narcotics control and Interior revealed that several clerics in Balochistan, NWFP and the tribal areas have passed decrees in favour of poppy cultivation that sowing of poppy is not in contravention to the Sharia.
The ministry demanded stiff action against those Mullahs, who were mutilating the injunctions of Islam to please the local Sardar to gain financial and other benefits.
While briefing the joint meeting of the committees, the officials of narcotics control ministry accused those religious leaders of spreading poppy cultivation in their areas.
However, they did not mention the name of any religious leader who declared that poppy cultivation was legitimate according to Islam. Similarly, no case was registered against those so-called religious leaders.
The committees were urged upon that enlightened and moderate clerics should be encouraged to publicly denounce poppy cultivation as a taboo and sin.
The committees were informed that mainly the poppy was cultivated in areas like Dir, Malakand, Bajaur, Kohistan, Kaladhaka (Mansehra), Kurram, North/South Waziristan and Khyber and Mohmand Agency.
The officials said that 59.27 percent less poppy was grown in NWFP and Balochistan in 2004-2005 compared to the crop season 2003-2004.
They said one kilogram of opium would etch Rs 60,000 in open market, which is highly attractive to the poor farmer as compared to other corps. In the hilly areas the farmers have very small chunks of land cannot commit their lands for other cash crops requiring big pieces of land.
They demanded the government must give financial incentives to farmers to encourage them abandon the poppy cultivation.
The narcotics control ministry expressed its apprehensions that expected opening of Khokhrapar-Monabao route between India and Pakistan might attract global drug traffickers to expand their illegal business.
"It is recommended that strong preventive measures must be taken and infrastructure placed in location so that the route is not used for smuggling of narcotics and Acetic Anhydride chemical.
It was strongly recommended that information about the drug traffickers must be shared between the Indian Border Security Force and Pakistan Rangers Sindh.
The committees were suggested that an anti-narcotics platoon should be created in Balochistan which possesses proper communication system, weapons and surveillance equipment and vehicular mobility.
It was revealed that presently there was no narcotics detection equipment, available with Frontier Corps Balochistan.
The anti-narcotics force suggested that Africans residing in hotels, houses and guesthouses should be kept under observation and their documents should be verified from the concerned authorities.
Because of their overwhelming involvement in drug related activities, the police and other law enforcement agencies were asked to play their role reducing that threat.
The committees were informed that notorious drug barons were frequently using mobile phones in prisons to stay connected with outside world and their business associates.
They were requested to ensure that use of cellular phones should strictly be prohibited in jails. The committee were told that drugs of all kinds were available in abundance in the jails.
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