ISLAMABAD: The director general of the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) has denied the minister of state for interior’s claims that high rates of drug use by students in the capital, saying the actual figure may be 4 or 5pc.

While responding to questions after a press briefing, Maj Gen Mohammad Arif Malik also said the ANF is conducting a survey on drug use among students to determine the actual figured. He claimed the survey would be completed in a few days.

Mr Malik also told the press that the ANF has proposed doubling the sentence for drug peddlers who supply drugs to students, and teachers and parents are being taken on board regarding efforts for a drug-free environment in educational institutions.

Says actual figure may hover around 4-5pc

He said school staff are being trained and youth ambassadors have also been appointed. Efforts to include drug awareness in the curriculum are also ongoing.

He also denied that drug money is used for terrorism or by terrorists, but said: “Anti-state elements are using drug money and getting support from it.”

In response to a question about the convictions of drug peddlers and smugglers, Mr Malik said the ANF has a 95pc conviction rate, and life sentences are awarded to people charged under section 9-C of the ANF Act.

He said there is no death sentence for those arrested under 9-C, but talks in this regard are in progress with the government.

When asked about the smuggling of synthetic drugs, Mr Malik said work is ongoing to counter the practice and a couple of meetings were held with courier companies as well. He said synthetic drugs are easy to smuggle, including in parcels and through courier services.

During the briefing, Mr Malik said the ANF is following a zero tolerance policy towards drug suppliers to young people and educational institutions. So far, 137 cases have been registered, 163 people have been arrested and 2,518 kilograms of drugs have been seized.

He said 1,184 cases were registered in drug enforcement operations last year, in which 1,376 people were arrested and approximately 100.3 metric tons of drugs and precursor chemicals worth approximately $1.2 billion were seized.

In addition, 31 coordinated operations were conducted internationally in which approximately 15.5 metric tons of drugs were seized and 78 people were arrested. Eight drug trafficking organisations — five of which were foreign — were dismantled.

The ANF also destroyed approximately 244.8 metric tons of narcotics, worth $1bn, at multiple drug-burning ceremonies in 2018.

Mr Malik said there are plans to increase the existing capacity of the force from 3,148 to 10,000 in a phased programme. A regional directorate will also be set up in Gwadar and seven new police stations are being established.

Four more model addiction treatment and rehabilitation centres are being planned and will be functional soon in Quetta, Lahore, Hyderabad and Peshawar alongside existing ones in Karachi, Islamabad and Sukkur, he said. The ANF has treated 17,486 people at its centres for free so far.

Published in Dawn, January 10th, 2019