Pakistan to conduct national drug survey after 11 years

Pakistan has decided to conduct a national drug survey to combat the menace of narcotics across the country.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi approved the proposal for a fresh NDS after a gap of 11 years on Thursday. 

The government conducted the last drug survey in 2012-13, which revealed that at least 6 percent of the population or 6.7 million people were using substances other than alcohol and tobacco in the preceding year.

“The National Drug Survey will be conducted in the country after 11 years,” said Naqvi, who also has the portfolio of Minister of Narcotics. 

“It is very important that the drug survey should be comprehensive and accurate.”

The fresh survey, which aims to collect information about people who are using drugs, will be completed within two weeks.

The ministry assigned the task to the concerned department to collect accurate data from homes, educational institutes and other areas within 15 days.

Naqvi directed the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) and the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) to work jointly and formulate a strategy to collect the data, as well as the nature, sample format, and timeline for conducting the survey.

He added that the drug became a national issue and authorities would not compromise to combat it with comprehensive decision-making.

“International development organisations should also be contacted for their cooperation in conducting the survey,” Naqvi concluded.