8.9 million get addicted to drugs every year in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: 

Four rupees are spent on each drug addict in Pakistan, a Senate body was informed on Monday.

In a meeting chaired by Senator Rehman Malik, Senate’s Standing Committee on Interior and Anti-Narcotics stated that approximately 8.9 million people in Pakistan are addicted to drugs every year, while 35 million people are directly affected.

“Pakistan has allocated Rs27 million annually for these addicts,” said Director General Anti Narcotics Force, Major General Khawar Hanif.

Furthering the discussion, Brig Zahid Abdullah said, “There is an estimated $US435billion drug economy in the world whereas a poppy crop of 0.5 million acres was cultivated last year.”