ISLAMABAD: Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) has received advanced IT equipment, personal protection gear and twenty sniffer dogs through funding support by the Government of Japan.
The equipment was handed in a high-profile ceremony held at the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) headquarters through the UNODC Country Office Pakistan. Federal Minister of Narcotics Control Azam Khan Swati and Ambassador Of Japan to Pakistan Kuninori Matsuda were also present at the occasion.
Deputy Director-General ANF Ali Zulnoorain Sheikh thanked the federal minister of narcotics control Japanese ambassador and COPAK representative Jeremy Milsom and other senior Officials for providing regular technical support to the ANF and other members of Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on counter-narcotics.
The IT equipment included hardware for automating Pakistan’s National Precursor Management System (NPMS), as well as networking among the ANF and other IATF members. Twenty narcotics-sniffer canine dogs and 40 bullet proof vests and helmets were also handed over under the Japan-funded project.
In his remarks, Jeremy Milsom said the ANF is continuing efforts to save the world from drug trafficking and drug abuse — the greatest challenges of our times. He said UNODC recognises ANF’s leading counter-narcotics role and will always remain the main partner in Pakistan.
The Japanese envoy Kuninori Matsuda assured that the Government of Japan continues to accord high priority to the peace-security-development nexus, and will continue endeavours to build Pakistan’s counter-narcotics capacity.
He also recognised ANF as the leading counter-narcotics law enforcement agency of Pakistan. He also offered condolences on the recent sacrifices made by ANF personnel in the line of duty, whereby four personnel were killed during two major encounters with the drug trafficking networks.
Federal Minister Azam Swati appreciated regular and sustainable capacity-building support by the Government of Japan. He highlighted the vision of the prime minister to address the growing challenge of narcotics trafficking by adopting a collective,
coherent and multilateral approach. He reiterated the government will not tolerate the menace of trafficking and its negative consequences on health and socio-economic development in Pakistan.
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