Daily Times

Pakistan on Sunday joined the international community to observe the “International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking,” reiterating its steadfast resolve to create a drug free society and the world.

In a statement, the Foreign Office spokesperson said the drug abuse undermined public health and the socio-economic development besides challenging the national security and prosperity. He said Pakistan itself was a poppy free country, but its population became a victim of regional opiate production and trade.

He said the illicit drug production and its trafficking was a major problem in Pakistan’s neighbourhood and it had been at the forefront of the efforts to actively support the ongoing global and regional initiatives that aimed at fighting against drug production and trafficking.

“The observance of this day manifests Pakistan’s steadfast resolve in creating a drug free society and world,” he added. The spokesperson said that Pakistan closely engaged in the Paris Pact Initiative and UNODC’s Regional Program for Afghanistan and Neighboring Countries.

“Under the Triangular Initiative (TI), we are cooperating with Iran and Afghanistan to fight this menace. In addition to international and regional cooperation, a number of counter-narcotics measures have been taken at the national level including the adoption of a National Anti-Narcotics Policy in 2019 and the creation of Inter- Agency Task Force on Counter-Narcotics,” he remarked.

He said that protecting the youth and the future generations from this menace was inevitable for a safe and prosperous world. “On this Day, we reaffirm our commitment to strengthening action and cooperation to achieve a world that is free of drug abuse,” he pledged.

The United Nations General Assembly decided to observe June 26 as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in 1987 as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse.