Rising narcotics use shocks senators.

ISLAMABAD -- A nearly 500 per cent increase in the number of people using intravenous drugs from the first decade to the second decade of the century shocked lawmakers on Tuesday with the country's premier anti-drug body calling for the provision of modern equipment, greater monetary and human resources to effectively tackle the influx of drugs in the country.

This was disclosed during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Narcotics Control which met at the Parliament House on Tuesday with Senator Sardar Muhammad Shafiq Tareen in the chair.

The committee reviewed the annual public sector development programme for the Ministry of Narcotics Control. Senators were informed that Rs161 million had been allocated for the ministry in the fiscal year 2019-20, while it has consumed around Rs48 million. Asked why such a large sum remains unused with nearly two-thirds of the financial year gone, Narcotics Control Secretary Allah Dino Khawaja explained that the force has yet to pay its utility bills and rent, adding that the remaining sum is expected to be spent before the end of the fiscal year.

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For the Anti- Narcotics Force (ANF), the committee was told that until December 2019, the force had utilised Rs 1.33 billion of the Rs2.53 billion earmarked for it. Under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for the fiscal year 2020-21, the committee was told that 17 projects have been listed.

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Senator Brigadier (retired) John Williams asked that why a large number of shipping containers entering the country go unchecked before being unloaded on private properties.

Senator Nauman Khattak suggested installing trackers and seals on the containers to ensure they are not opened en route.

The ANF director-general pointed out that they have a staff of just 2,900 officers deployed around the country. He added that the flow of containers into the country has increased after the Gwadar Port became operational. He added that it has become nigh impossible to check all containers.

He suggested setting up an ANF Directorate for better monitoring of containers. Further, he said that the force must be provided with modern equipment such as drones for better surveillance. He lamented that donors are no longer supplying forensic items to the force.

Responding to a question raised by Senator Khattak, ANF officials said that personnel are usually transferred to it from different...