Islamabad [Pakistan], July 1 : Amid rising instances of drug abuse among the youth of Pakistan, the role of law enforcement agencies are being called to question for not being up to the task, reported The News International.
According to the Pakistan-based media publication, reports of increased juvenile drug abuse seem to indicate that the police, the Anti-Narcotics Force, and the Excise, Taxation, and Anti-Narcotics Departments are not performing their duties well.
Law enforcement officers have been criticising their coworkers, blaming them for different acts of laziness and neglect of duty.
Numerous drug addicts can be observed injecting drugs at some of the busiest thoroughfares, parks, markets, and roadside locations in Pakistan's major cities, which gives an indication of the severity of the crisis.
Virtual hubs for the drug trade and addiction have emerged in cities like Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Quetta, Hyderabad, Sheikhupura, Dera Ghazi Khan, Sialkot, and Jhelum, reported The News International.
There are questions on how such massive amounts of drugs are being smuggled into Pakistan and distributed throughout the country, reports stated.
Some law enforcement officers are openly making dubious statements in connection with their efforts to deal with drug dealers as the illegal trade develops across the nation. However, instead of energising action against drug dealers, there is a greater emphasis on blaming others for their failings.
According to a top Peshawar-based police officer who spoke on the condition of anonymity, "The ANF's main duty is to apprehend drug dealers of significant scale. However, he notes that "many smaller communities and most large cities are overrun with drug users. Is it not obvious that the ANF is failing to carry out its responsibilities effectively? It is not keeping up. And to top it off, it wants the cops to take up its responsibilities", reported The News International.
However, the joint director of the ANF, Ehsan-ul Haq, has a different viewpoint. Speaking to The News on Sunday, he said: "It is incorrect to imply that operations against drug traffickers are carried out solely by the ANF. Instead, the police, ANF, and Excise Department are all jointly responsible for it. According to him, the emphasis of these forces varies depending on their size and type of duty."
He said the ANF is understaffed and underfunded in comparison to the police
Apparently, drug abuse is taking a heavy toll on the youth in Pakistan, especially students, and fuelling a life of addiction and crime. The drug problem in Pakistan is getting extremely serious, with drug usage being on the rise with every passing day.
Moreover, there are very few treatment options for drug abusers in Pakistan.
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