Islamabad, February 28, 2018 (PPI-OT): A meeting of the Standing Committee on Narcotics Control on held today in the Committee Room of Ministry of Narcotics Control, Emigration Tower, Mauve Area, G-8/1, Islamabad, under the Chairmanship of Malik Shakir Bashir Awan, MNA to scrutinize budgetary proposals relating to PSDP in respect of the Ministry of Narcotics Control and its attached departments for the next financial year 2018-19.
The Secretary, Ministry of Narcotics Control apprised the Committee that there are 3 on-going projects costing Rs.128.857 million, 3 extended/revised projects of Rs.2894.012 million and 15 new projects costing Rs.2578.855 million were put before the Committee for its approval. The total budgetary proposals regarding PSDP for the Financial Year 2018-19 were Rs.5601.724 million including Rs.2193.284 million foreign aid. After detailed discussion and certain observations of the Committee, the budgetary proposals were unanimously approved. The Committee showed their reservations over the un-due cuts made in the projects approved by the Standing Committee by Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms.
The Director General, Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) briefed the Committee that during 2017 ANF approached the Press Information Department for publication of ANF Awareness Message “Say No to Drugs” on all public sector advertisements and PEMRA was also approached for furnishing ANF video clips/messages to air the ANF Awareness Messages in all electronic media sources as a national cause. The Chairman, Higher Education Commission apprised the Committee that the HEC has advised the Higher Educational Institutions in Pakistan to undertake the task by arranging awareness raising programs in order to create awareness against the drug abuse for students, teaching faculty and parents through lectures, seminars, debates, workshops, sports and cultural events etc.
The Committee recommended that the proper infrastructure facilities including accommodation buildings, scanners etc. may be provided to the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) for their efficient working. Moreover, the Committee also recommended that the ANF should be given access in WEBOC Scanning System of Custom Department on the import and export at Port Qasim for having enough grip over the un-wanted items bringing bad name to the country.
The meeting was attended by Sahibzada Faiz-ul-Hassan, Rana Umer Nazir Khan, Mian Shahid Hussain Khan Bhatti, Dr. Muhammad Azhar Khan Jadoon, Ms. Naeema Kishwar Khan, and Mr. Sher Akbar Khan MNAs, Federal Minister for Narcotics Control and Senior Officers from Ministry of Narcotics Control and Chairman, HEC.
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