Lahore: The Punjab government, under the guidance of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, is nearing the completion of its mission to create a drug-free province. This initiative is spearheaded by Inspector General of Punjab Police, Dr. Usman Anwar, who has significantly intensified the crackdown on narcotics across Punjab.

According to Punjab Police, the intensified efforts in the first half of the current year included over 57,000 raids targeting drug dens, resulting in the arrest of more than 30,000 suspects and the registration of 29,922 cases. The operations led to the seizure of substantial quantities of narcotics, including 17,182 kilograms of charas, 171 kilograms of methamphetamine (Ice), 360 kilograms of heroin powder, and 702 kilograms of opium. Additionally, police confiscated 440,000 liters of alcohol.

Dr. Usman Anwar has issued directives to all Regional Police Officers (RPOs) and District Police Officers (DPOs) to enhance intelligence-based operations to eradicate drug trafficking, particularly targeting those involved in the drug supply chain within educational institutions. He emphasized the need for targeted actions in hotspots to protect youth from the dangers of addiction and has also overseen the admission of 666 individuals to rehabilitation centers for treatment.