–Countering narcotics across Pak-China border brought under discussion
ISLAMABAD: A high-level delegation of China’s National Narcotics Control Committee (NNCC), along with representatives from UNODC, visited the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) Headquarters on Tuesday.
The delegation included NNCC Deputy Secretary-General Deshing Xiong, UNODC Regional Office South East Asia & Pacific Jeremy Douglas, UNODC Pakistan Representative Cesar Guedes. ANF DG Major General Musarrat Nawaz Malik warmly welcomed the guests. During the visit, issues of mutual concern in the field of controlling drugs and precursor trafficking were brought under discussion.
Representatives of both the countries agreed upon further augmentation of the existing level of bilateral counternarcotics cooperation between the two countries by supporting each other’s anti-drug initiatives and by establishing bilateral interaction mechanisms at appropriate levels. As a manifestation of the resolve, Border Liaison Office (BLO) has been recently inaugurated at Pak-China border, Sost, which will help both countries in real-time information sharing and carrying out intelligence-based joint operations to effectively counter the drugs related activities across the border.
NNCC Deputy Secretary-General Deshing Xiong assured the upgrading of the technical and operational capacity of ANF by the establishment of the bilateral support mechanism. He further assured that China being the world’s largest producer of precursor chemical would make its best efforts to counter illicit use and trafficking of chemicals especially routing through Pakistani border. He expressed that Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Peoples Republic of China are strategic partners and all-weather friends, with roots in strong mutual trust, excellent cooperation and convergence of views on regional and global issues including counter-narcotics cooperation.
The delegation assured all-time moral and financial support to ANF Pakistan and NNCC China for long-lasting mutual cooperation in terms of counternarcotics.
The new emerging challenges associated with drug and precursor trafficking through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) route was also given special attention during the meeting. The discussion ended with the decision that appropriate joint measures would be taken to effectively counter perceived emerging threat of illicit drug trafficking and additional resources to ANF for establishing and deploying dedicated check posts and drug interdiction teams along, especially its transit and terminal points in Pakistan i.e. Sost (being established) and Gwadar would be supported in all aspects. It was further decided jointly that unanimous stance of Pakistan and China on the issue of maritime cooperation as well as on other drug-related issues would be re-affirming at all regional and international fora.
The guests were given a short brief of the ANF achievements in controlling the drug menace which was warmly lauded by the delegation. The ANF DG thanked the honorable guests with the resolve to provide all possible services at the regional, continental and global level to control illicit drug and precursor trafficking to make the region and the world a ‘drug-free society’.