Drug Trafficking in Pakistan

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TO: The Honourable President of Pakistan

FROM: Drug Policy Advisor

SUBJECT: Health and harm reduction: Pakistan’s Future

DATE: 29/10/2013

Pakistan's geographic location next to world's largest producer of illicit opium, places the country in vulnerable position and it has emerged as popular transit nation for drug trafficking. Afghanistan produces an estimated 60-70 % of the world’s supply of illicit opiates, 45% of that cross into Pakistan, en route to destination markets.(UNODC Report on PAK)

Identification of Key Issues

 Porous borders and widespread corruption in the shipment officials (sea ports of Karachi and Port Qasim) that extends deep into the throats of Security forces as well (Pak Anti-Narcotics Policy Papers)

 Household Population Survey (UNODC. “Drug Use in Pakistan 2013”)

 Cannabis  Most commonly used drug

 ATS and cocaine  Increasing

 Most commonly misused substances  Opioid-based painkillers followed by tranquilizers and sedatives

 Women: More likely to consume amphetamines and painkillers

 4,20,000 people who inject drugs (PWIDs)

 Use of contaminated injecting equipment among PWIDs  One of the major routes of HIV transmission

 Almost 3/4th of opiate-using PWIDs share injecting equipment

 Regular opiate users who inject drugs  73% reported sharing syringes either before or after someone else; Reason  There was only one needle available

 Regular cannabis  More than 1/3rd between 20 and 29

Heroin  30-34 = 53%; Mean age of opiate users=37

The drug use by our young generation is rising at an alarming rate and can be detrimental to a developing economy like ours

 Alarming spike in injection of illicit drugs among young adults A serious threat to the national economy as it lowers...

... middle of paper ...

... raise the Life Expectancy at Birth criteria and improve HDI World Ranking

 Improving the employees’ conditions that will bring up the efficiency and will have a direct impact on creating an enthusiastic economic environment which in turn will initiate and investor-friendly climate

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Bibliography

 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Ministry of Narcotics Control. “Drug Use in Pakistan 2013: Technical Summary Report”

 Ministry of counter Narcotics, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. “National Drug controls Strategy”

 Pakistan Anti-Narcotics Policy Papers 2010

 Society for Sustainable Development. “Recommendations for Sustainable Development for changes in Pakistan Anti-Narcotics Policy”

 The Dawn. “Drug Trade in Afghanistan and Pakistan”

 Stonebraker, Robert. “Supply-Side Drug Policy: Will It Ever Work?”

 The Dawn. “Pakistan’s Drug Menace”

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