High life: Punjab has highest number of drug users, says UNODC report

LAHORE: Adviser to Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique on Thursday said collective efforts by the government, the civil society, the media and non-government organisation (NGOs) were required to check use of narcotics.

He said elimination of narcotics was necessary for eradication of communicable diseases.

He said was addressing the launch of United Nation Office of Drug Control (UNODC) report 2013 regarding drug use in Pakistan and the Punjab.

He said drug use adversely affected families of drug users and was harmful for society.

Rafique said drug users injected drugs through syringes and sharing of syringes was among the leading causes of spread of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis-C.

Rafique said the UNODC and the government should prepare a joint action plan for eradication of drugs.

He said the action plan should include an awareness campaign regarding use of drugs, capacity-building of treatment facilities and the control of HIV/AIDS.

Earlier, a representative of the UNODC presented the report regarding drug use in the Punjab.

He said Afghanistan had become one of the largest poppy cultivating countries in the world and stressed the need of effective measures to control smuggling of narcotics.

Drug use in 2013
Around 4.25 million drug users in Pakistan were considered dependent on substances and required a form of structured intervention for treatment of their drug use disorder, the report said.

It said that due to its large share of the population, the Punjab had the highest number of drug users and people who injected drugs (PWID) with 2.9 million people using illicit substances in 2013, and approximately 260,000 people who inject drugs. The number of people who inject drugs is estimated to 430,000 nationwide.

According to the report, approximately 80 per cent of PWID in the Punjab share syringes regularly, whereas two-thirds report doing so in Sindh and Balochistan, and half in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

Among PWID, 73 per cent reported sharing syringes, claiming lack of access to sterile injecting equipment.

The report pointed out that among the general population, only 13 per cent could accurately name three modes of HIV transmission.

Approximately 1.5 per cent of the population (1.6 million people) reported non-medical use of prescription opioids (painkillers) in the past year.

While men were found to use more drugs than women for most drug types, women were more likely to misuse tranquilisers and sedatives as well as amphetamines, the report said.

Overall in Pakistan, approximately 6 per cent of the population (6.7 million people) used controlled substance and misused prescription drugs, the report said.

In addition to drug use, the report pointed to warning signs for a rapid expansion of the HIV epidemic. Survey results detected a high prevalence of HIV risk behaviours among people who injected drugs.

“Because the majority of HIV positive people who inject drugs are not aware of their status, they are also not taking precautions to prevent further transmission,” the report pointed out.

Cannabis was the most commonly-used drug, with a prevalence of 3.6 per cent of the population (4 million users nationwide).

Poly-drug use was also found to be common, with one in five people reporting using more than one controlled substance in the past year.

An estimated 860,000 people (0.8 per cent of the population) were regular heroin users and 320,000 used opium.

The majority of drug users surveyed were between 25 and 39 years of age Cannabis use was highest among 30 to 34 year olds and heroin use was highest among 35 to 39 years olds.

(By Our Correspondent) Published in GNN & Tribune, May 23rd, 2014.

Ban on wheat supply: Potohar region flour millers threaten to launch protest drive

RAWALPINDI: Flour millers of the Potohar region have threatened to launch a protest drive if their loaded trucks were not released by the authorities in Punjab.

At an emergency meeting held in Islamabad on Thursday, representatives of the flour mills said that trucks supplying wheat to flour mills of the Potohar region were being stopped and unloaded at Sargodha, Wazirabad, Jhang and Mianwali, which may cause a flour crisis in the Potohar region.

The Punjab government has clamped a ban on wheat supply to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) from Punjab.

Talking to Tribune, Islamabad Traders’ Action Committee Secretary Information Khalid Chaudhry said that 140 mills were facing an acute shortage of wheat after the trucks were stopped in different cities of Punjab. He said that if the practice persisted, mills in the Potohar region will not be able to supply flour to the market.

He said Punjab and Sindh have produced 2 million tons of wheat beyond their set target. He said that the Punjab Food Department, PASCO and the private sector have sufficient stocks, but an artificial shortage was being created.

Traders Action Committee Chairman Sheikh Muhammad Shabbir said that provincial government instead of stopping trucks supplying wheat to K-P, the provincial government was punishing mills in the Potohar region.

He also condemned the ban on wheat supply to K-P, terming it unjust.

“Punishing the PTI-led government in K-P will add to the peoples’ miseries in the province,” he said.
They demanded that the Punjab chief minister and prime minister intervene and ensure smooth supply of wheat to flour mills in the Potohar region.

(By Our Correspondent) Published in GNN & Tribune, May 23rd, 2014.

Prisoners’ escape: FIA nabs sub-inspector for abetting crime

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested a Punjab police sub inspector for releasing three UK-convicted prisoners from the Central Jail Karachi in 2010 on forged papers drafted by a section officer (law) in the federal interior ministry who was arrested by the FIA last month.

The FIA investigation team is also facing great hardship in tracing the two absconding prisoners due to lack of cooperation of interior and prisons department of the Sindh government, it has been learnt.

Sources privy to the matter in FIA informed the Express Investigation Cell that Sub Inspector Ibrar of Punjab police was arrested by the investigation team of FIA Anti-corruption cell, Islamabad Zone, a few days back due to his involvement in the prisoners’ release case.

As per FIR No- 24/14 registered by FIA Anti-corruption cell on March 28, 2014, three Pakistani citizens Nasir Khan, Asad Habib and Rizwan were convicted by the British government in three different murder and narcotics cases.

Nasir and Rizwan were sentenced to life imprisonment in murder cases on February 21, 2002 and November 8, 2010, respectively, while Asad was convicted for 25 years in a drugs case on August 7, 2004.

The three convicts were later handed over by the British government to the Pakistan government under a prisoner agreement on August 21, 2010, and were sent to the Central Jail Karachi to complete their remaining imprisonment.

Meanwhile, Section officer (Law) Ali Muhammad allegedly forwarded letters to the authorities of Central Jail Karachi in different time periods for the release of said prisoners. As a result, Nasir was released on September 9, 2010, while Rizwan and Asad were released in November, 2010.

In pursuance of such FIR, the FIA Investigation team arrested section officer Ali Muhammad from Islamabad and one of the released prisoners Asad from Karachi.

When contacted, the deputy director FIA Anti-corruption cell, Islamabad zone Jalil Khan has confirmed the arrest of Sub Inspector Ibrar for his involvement in the case.

(By Yaqoob Malik) Published in GNN & Tribune, May 23rd, 2014.

Hockey: Last-eights berths of junior event decided

KARACHI: The quarter-final teams of the 33rd National Junior Hockey Championship were decided on Tuesday, with Army, PIA, NBP, Railways, Wapda, Customs, Pakistan Education Board, and Punjab (C) securing berths.

Railways and Army fought hard to grab top position in their pool, but the former earned a lone-goal victory in the end.

 Railways and Army fought hard to grab top position in their pool, but the former earned a lone-goal victory in the end. However, both teams qualified for the quarter-finals on equal points.

Wapda outclassed Customs in the second match with a 5-1 victory. The winners slammed a goal in the sixth minute, while in the second-half, a penalty corner doubled their lead. Three more goals in the 39th, 44th and 58th minute ensured a win for Wapda.

Meanwhile, Punjab (C) outshined Sindh (C) 9-2 in the last match of the day.

(By Our Correspondent) Published in GNN & Tribune, May 21st, 2014.

PTI threatens to halt traffic if protest barred

PTI Punjab president claims that rigging has taken place on at least 70 National Assembly seats. PHOTO: FILE

FAISALABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has threatened to paralyse traffic in the Punjab if the government created any impediments for the participants of the party’s proposed May 11 protest in Islamabad, PTI Punjab president Ejaz Chaudhry said on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference, Chaudhry said that arrangements had been made to stage a historic protest in Islamabad.

“We have received reports from sources in the police and administration that the government plans to sabotage our protest call and resort to underhand tactics to create hurdles for the PTI workers to keep them from participating in the protest. However, all police officials and other government functionaries who attempt to create hurdles in the protest will be taken to task,” Chaudhry said.

He said that “The Sharif government has failed on all fronts. Rampant poverty, electricity and gas shortages, unemployment and inflation demonstrate that this government is incapable of delivering.” He said that due to energy shortages, exporters in the Faisalabad region alone had suffered a loss of Rs85 billion and around 15 million daily-wage employees had lost their jobs. He claimed that rigging had taken place on “at least 70 National Assembly seats and PTI candidates who were winners were made to lose in these constituencies.”

The PTI leader expressed concern over the law and order situation. “Street crime has jumped 70 percent in the Punjab compared to the previous year.”

(By Shamsul Islam) Published in GNN & Tribune, May 8th, 2014.

For justice: LHC takes notice of molestation reports

One of the reports said Sadiq, a resident of Gogera, lured a woman on her way to see her sister and molested her. PHOTO: LHC.GOV.PK

LAHORE: Lahore High Court’s Complaint Cell on Tuesday took notice of media reports of three women being molested in three districts.

One of the reports said Sadiq, a resident of Gogera, lured a woman on her way to see her sister and molested her. Another report said a grade five student in Pakpattan’s Arazi Amer Singh village was kidnapped and taken to nearby fields. The men tried to molest her but her cries attracted some villagers who caught one of them while the other fled.

The girl’s parents said the investigation officer had been pressuring them to drop the charges. A third report said two sisters, residents of Kamalia, were on their way home when two men detained and molested them. Police are investigating the matter.

LHC has directed district and sessions judges of Okara, Pakpattan and Toba Tek Singh to submit reports on these cases within a week.

Published in GNN & Tribune, May 7th, 2014. (By Our Correspondent)

Lahore zoo's oldest lion passes away at the age of 16

LAHORE: The oldest lion at the Lahore zoo died at the age of 16 on Tuesday,

The animal, named Jumbo, had reportedly stopped eating food since the past one week.

Injections and vitamins were being given to the animal in order to revive his health but Jumbo passed away today (Tuesday).

Established in 1872, the Lahore Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in the world. It houses more than a hundred different species of animals.

Published in GNN & Tribune, May 6th, 2014.

Anti-polio campaign: ‘Virus being transmitted to other areas from KPK’

The administration of polio drops to children coming from the FATA was the KPK government’s responsibility. PHOTO: FILE

LAHORE: Children travelling from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa into Punjab are carrying the polio virus with them, Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique said on Monday. The environmental samples taken from Outfall Road’s sewerage water contained the virus similar to that circulating in the KPK.

He said thousands of children in KPK are deprived of polio vaccination.

He was speaking after administering polio drops in Santnagar to launch a three-day vaccination campaign in Lahore. Rafique said that due to the effective and concrete steps taken by the government, Punjab would become polio-free this year.

Rafique said politicians should not waste their energy on agitation but strive instead to eradicate polio from the country. Rafique said the Punjab government had taken concrete steps to eradicate polio but to root it out from the entire country it was necessary to ensure polio teams access to ‘no-go’ areas in all provinces.

Rafique said three anti-polio campaigns would be carried out in Lahore during May. He said the first campaign was being carried out from May 5 to 7, and the other two would be launched in the second and third week of May.

He said special anti-polio campaigns had been scheduled in 10 high risk districts: Dera Ghazi Khan, Lahore, Mianwali, Multan, Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur, Rawalpindi, Rahim Yar Khan, Sahiwal and Toba Tek Singh. Rafique said 773,000 children would be vaccinated during the three-day campaign in Lahore. The vaccination target for the 10 districts is about 5.2 million children.

Rafique said the top leadership in the Punjab was fully committed to the eradication of polio. He said the government had made arrangements for vaccinating children travelling by buses or trains through Punjab. He said check posts had been set up at all entry points of the province.

Rafique said the administration of polio drops to children coming from the FATA was the KPK government’s responsibility. He said there was a need for national spirit and commitment.

Published in GNN & Tribune, May 6th, 2014.

Institutional matters: ‘Courts should not interfere in ECP affairs’

“The election system of Bangladesh is the best [in this region],”, former election commision secretary said.

BAHAWALPUR: “The election commission should have been an independent body in Pakistan, like it is in Bangladesh,” former election commission secretary Kanwar Dilshad said on Monday.

Dilshad was talking to media people at Bahawalpur Press Club. He said the commission should be empowered to take binding decisions with regard to elections. He also demanded the creation of more provinces on administrative basis, and the ‘restoration’ of Bahawalpur province. He said the 18th Amendment had stripped the chief election commissioner of all powers. Dilshad said in 2008, the election commission had stopped using judicial officers for election duty. However, the Supreme Court intervened and appointed returning officers from the judiciary. He said many returning officers had failed to comply with Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution.

“The election system of Bangladesh is the best [in this region],” Dilshad said. The voters are truly empowered…the ballot papers carry an additional box, which is checked, means that the voter thought none of the candidates worthy of his or her vote, he said.

If that box is checked in 40 per cent of the ballots cast in an area, the candidates are disqualified from participation for the next five years, said Dilshad.

Dilshad said candidates should be required to open a separate bank account for electoral expenses…this way they can submit accurate details of campaign expenses to the Election Commission. In India, once the election commission issues a schedule for elections, no court can stop it, Dilshad said. If the schedule needs to be changed, the election commission deals with the matter.

He said the ECP should be independent and there should be no interference from the courts. In 2013, the then chief justice had addressed returning officers and written letters to them which he should not have done. Dilshad said the Bahawalpur province must be restored in recognition of the sacrifices of the Nawab of Bahawalpur.

Published in GNN & Tribune, May 6th, 2014.

Promoting education: Punjab enhances funds to cut unemployment

The endowment fund of the government is helping about 60,000 students across universities in the country. PHOTO: FILE

FAISALABAD: Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah, while underlining the importance of education, has said the size of endowment fund, created by the PML-N, has been increased to provide assistance to the needy and talented students and reduce the ranks of poor and unemployed.

“The government is fully aware of the importance of education in rooting out illiteracy, poverty and unemployment from the society and shift in the approach of NGOs to education is commendable,” he said.

He was speaking at a seminar organised by the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) and Saylani Welfare International Trust on “Empowering youth as IT entrepreneurs for progressive Pakistan” at the FCCI on Monday.

Sanaullah said the PML-N promoted education during its first tenure by creating an endowment fund for the talented students belonging to the poor strata of society. The fund, which was launched with Rs5 million, has recorded a significant jump and now stands at Rs12 billion, which is helping about 60,000 students get best education in renowned universities of the country.

Earlier, FCCI President Suhail bin Rashid said information technology was a key industry that could bring revolution in the country and the government should recognise and give due status to this field.

He underscored the need for setting up an IT park, a campus of IT University and an office of the Punjab IT Board in Faisalabad. The city required a place for 88 local software companies to sit and work round the clock and the IT park would provide that space, he said.

Published in GNN & Tribune, May 6th, 2014.