The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) is stepping up its campaign against the alarming rise of drug sales targeting students in Pakistan. A spokesperson from the ANF announced that a nationwide operation is in progress, leading to significant arrests and drug confiscations in recent days. Within the last 24 hours, six suspects have been detained across five operations carried out near various educational institutions.
These efforts have resulted in the seizure of approximately 15 kilograms of drugs, collectively valued at over Rs 1.2 million. One notable incident occurred near Farash Town in Islamabad, where authorities recovered 150 grams of hashish and 10 ecstasy pills from a suspect. In Lahore, another operation near a university on Defence Road led to the discovery of 200 grams of hashish and 100 grams of ice. Additionally, a raid at a college near Canal Road in Lahore resulted in the confiscation of 2.4 kilograms of hashish, along with 100 grams of ice and 50 ecstasy pills. In Latifabad, Hyderabad, police apprehended two individuals found with 96 bottles of alcohol and 2 kilograms of hashish.
Another significant raid took place in Tandojam, close to a university in Hyderabad, where officers seized 10 kilograms of hashish. The suspects arrested during these operations have confessed to targeting students as their primary market for drug sales. This troubling trend is highlighted by a 2019 World Bank report, which noted that 43% of young people in educational institutions in Pakistan are involved in substance use, including alcohol and other narcotics.
In a related initiative, the ANF recently dismantled a factory in the crowded Danishabad area of Peshawar that was allegedly manufacturing pharmaceutical drugs and illegal narcotic tablets. Authorities confiscated 1,425 tablets, 2.5 kilograms of production powder, and 120 grams of methamphetamine, along with various other chemicals. Reports suggest that the factory was distributing these drugs to students residing in hostels and educational institutions, underscoring the urgent need for more robust regulations and proactive measures to safeguard young people from the perils of substance abuse.
