Daily Times

Federal Minister for Narcotics Control Brig (R) Ijaz Ahmed Shah on Tuesday said that Pakistan despite limited resources has sent humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.

He expressed these views during a meeting with the Canadian High Commissioner in Pakistan Ms. Wendy Gilmon and Deputy Head of Mission of Switzerland in Pakistan Alberto Groff Swiss, said a news release.

The minister said that Afghanistan’s social and economic stability is integral to overall regional stability and peace. “Prime Minister Imran Khan is taking all necessary measures to ensure regional stability,” he said.

The visiting guests said that drug abuse is a global problem and should be collectively fought. Ijaz Ahmad Shah ensured all possible cooperation.

He informed that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government led by Prime Minister Imran Khan is the first one to introduce an anti-Narcotics policy on national level.

He said that PM Imran Khan himself was overlooking the progress of the introduced policy and Anti-Narcotics Council. “We are trying our best to make the maximum use of available resources to achieve our targets”, the minister said.

The Canadian High Commissioner Ms. Wendy Gilmour said “We are thankful to the Ministry of Narcotics Control for taking our suggestions under consideration.”

Ijaz Ahmad Shah said that Anti-Narcotics Force is now focusing on Intelligence-based operations to ensure effective action against drug suppliers and dealers.

The Canadian envoy endorsed the idea and said that an Intelligence-based approach is more fruitful. “We are trying to improve inter-agency coordination to improve efficiency,” said Ijaz Shah. The Swiss Dy. Head Albonto Groff expressed the hope that Pakistan will work more on rehabilitation matters and help drug victims.

Earlier, the Pak-Afghan Cooperation Forum and Khadija Welfare Trust handed over seven truckloads of relief goods to Afghan officials at Torkham Border.

Mufti Tariq Masood of Khadija Welfare Trust and Additional Assistant Commissioner Ashrafuddin handed over the relief goods to the Raeesof Afghanistan Emarat e Islami, Muhammad Nasim Ahmadi at Torkahm Border, Ladikotal in Khyber district. The relief goods included blankets, quilts, daily use items and edibles.

Muhammad Nasim Ahmadi said over one million children in Afghanistan were faced with food scarcity and other problems urging upon the United Nations and other countries to provide maximum relief goods to Afghans in this hour of need. Ahmadi further said that Pakistan always stood by its Afghan brethren for which the Afghan government was thankful to Pakistan.

The head of Khadija Welfare Trust, Mufti Tariq Masood said we have offered seven truckloads of relief goods to Afghanistan to minimize the sufferings of Afghan brethren. He also appealed to the world community to provide every possible assistance to the Afghan people at this critical juncture.