Islamabad:
Members of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee for Interior expressed serious concern Wednesday over the increase in drug abuse throughout Pakistan and warned that drugs had entered schools, colleges and even households.
The question was raised during a meeting of the committee that was chairman of Raja Khurram Nawaz. Committee members Sharmila Faruqui questioned why, despite the Ministry of the Interior’s RS26 billion budget, drug trading remained uncontrollably.
“Drugs are sold in every street and in schools, colleges and universities. We need a detailed orientation,” she demanded. The President noted that the drug charges were often arrested but released within months.
Anti-Narcotics Force (AF) Director Brig Imran Ali informed the committee that campaigns were carried out in 263 educational institutions, which led to the arrest of more than 400 drug sellers and seizure of 1,470 kg of drugs.
By 2024, he added that a total of 361 tonnes of drugs were seized nationwide, of which anf’s seizures were 176 tonnes. He also said that 19 gangs had been busted this year and assets worth RS7 billion frozen.
According to Brig Imran, anf five regional directorates, 33 police stations and seven rehabilitation centers. However, he emphasized that the strength was still facing labor shortages, scanner problems and limited resources.
Committee members questioned why drug abuse continued despite the operations. Qadir Patel pointed to porous boundaries in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and said that drugs continue to flow into uncontrolled.
Nosheen Fatima raised concerns about unregulated rehabilitation centers in Islamabad and called them “a scam to loot citizens.” The committee ordered the authorities to submit detailed measures at the next meeting.
