Manan Mandokhail:
Quetta: The Balochistan Assembly has approved a resolution to hold a two-hour debate in its upcoming session on the alarming surge in heroin addiction across the province. The resolution, presented by MPA Zafar Agha, highlights the growing urgency to tackle Balochistan’s worsening drug epidemic.
During the session, Maulana Hidayat ur Rahman, provincial chief of Jamaat-e-Islami, condemned both the provincial government and law enforcement agencies for their failure to curb narcotics. “This is not just an individual problem; it is a social catastrophe. Drugs are spreading like wildfire, and the authorities are either helpless or complicit,” he said. Rahman further claimed that over one million people in Balochistan are battling addiction—a figure far higher than what officials admit. “We need real action, not empty rhetoric,” he urged.
Education Minister Raheela Hameed Khan Durrani and Asfandyar Khan Kakar also raised concerns over the impact of drugs on Balochistan’s youth. Raheela warned that if urgent steps were not taken, an entire generation would be lost to addiction. Asfandyar stressed the importance of rehabilitation centers and awareness campaigns. “Instead of criminalizing addicts, we need to help them recover and reintegrate into society,” he emphasized.
Fazal Qadir Mandokhail, another lawmaker, pointed to the strong nexus between drug trafficking and organized crime. “These cartels operate freely because there is no political will to dismantle them,” he said. He called for strict enforcement measures and regional cooperation to curb cross-border smuggling. “If we fail to control the supply chain, this war against drugs will be meaningless,” he warned.
Other lawmakers echoed similar concerns, emphasizing that Balochistan’s drug addiction crisis is now a full-blown public health emergency. The upcoming debate is expected to bring forward recommendations for stricter laws, better enforcement, and improved rehabilitation efforts to tackle the escalating crisis.
