LAHORE: Punjab Narcotics Force Director General (DG) Raja Zahid said that he had assumed his office recently but he would take steps to reopen the state-owned opium factory in Limbo in view of problems faced by patients, reported by a local media outlet.
The “unlawful” closure of the factory has resulted in the loss of millions of rupees for the government exchequer and increased suffering for patients.
The government Opium Alkaloid Factory was established under the Prohibition of Enforcement of Hadd Order 1979 and was later closed by the excise and taxation department in 2012.
The factory’s premises have been rented out to a private firm that manufactures vehicle registration plates, according to reports.
Narcotics Control Division of the Ministry of Interior has reportedly sent repeated reminders to the Punjab Government pertaining to the factory’s reopening.
The division, in a letter to the Punjab Government, has said, “It may be seen that the matter has been pending for a while, for want of comments from your side and as a result, the business of pharmaceutical firms is getting negatively affected.”
The factory had been initially established to ensure provision of Opium to herbal centres and licensed pharmaceutical companies in the country.
