QUETTA: In a high-level meeting to combat drug production, Balochistan Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir Khan declared poppy cultivation a “serious crime” with damaging international implications for Pakistan and called for more stringent, coordinated action.
Chairing the session, Khan revealed that provincial authorities have already destroyed poppy crops across more than 3,700 acres this year—a significant increase over last year’s eradication efforts. He stressed that eliminating this menace requires enhanced coordination between district administrations, the Excise and Taxation Department, and the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF).
The Chief Secretary directed officials to identify and immediately destroy poppy crops in cultivating districts and to take stern action against landowners involved. He announced a complete ban on the transportation, purchase, and sale of poppy seeds in the province. To ensure sustained pressure, he mandated monthly meetings of District Coordination Committees for review and oversight.
Highlighting modern solutions, Khan advocated for the use of drone technology to monitor and destroy crops in remote, mountainous terrains like Washuk, Chagai, and Qila Abdullah. As a further deterrent, he ordered that any landowner found cultivating poppy be placed in the Fourth Schedule. The meeting was informed that 225 individuals have already been scheduled. Khan expressed satisfaction with the ongoing efforts of government agencies and the ANF but underscored that comprehensive, multi-departmental cooperation is essential to eradicate the problem at its root.
Meanwhile the mobile internet services were fully restored across the provincial capital on Thursday evening, ending an approximately seven-hour-long suspension that paralyzed daily life and business activities. The blackout, imposed by the Balochistan Home Department on security grounds, commenced in the late morning, leaving students, professionals, traders, and ordinary citizens grappling with widespread digital disruption.
The suspension, communicated as a necessary but temporary measure, was linked to specific security concerns. Officials stated it was a precautionary step taken to maintain public order. However, the abrupt cutoff created immediate and significant challenges across multiple sectors.
