ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The national anti-narcotics policy formulated in 2010 is being revised, the Secretary Ministry of Narcotics Control said on Friday.
Chairing a meeting of Provincial Secretaries Health Services and Secretaries, Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control in Islamabad, he said that the policy has to be revised after every five years.
The representatives from all provinces including Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Anti-Narcotics Force attended the meeting which was first of its kind after 18th Constitutional amendment.
The purpose of meeting was to develop a more coordinated approach towards control of drug usage, spreading of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis through injectable drug use and further the rehabilitation of drug addicts.
The Secretary informed the meeting that this initiative was to have input from provinces regarding formulation of new national anti-narcotics policy so that the provinces may formulate their own policies on same pattern.
He also referred to National Narcotics Control Committee (NNCC) meeting wherein a number of important decisions were taken. One of the decisions related to constitution of Provincial Narcotics Control Committee (PNCC), which needs to be activated and also the actions should be shared with Ministry of Narcotics Control.
All the representatives briefed the meeting about the initiatives taken by their respective provinces regarding narcotics control, HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B & C treatment prevention.
It was decided that follow up meetings on matter would be regularly held in future.
