KP CM orders concrete steps to save youth from narcotics use

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has directed the Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department to take concrete measures to discourage the use of narcotics to protect youth from drug addiction.

The chief minister issued these directives while chairing a meeting of the Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department to review the progress and other reforms initiatives undertaken by the department, said an official handout.

Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Excise Ghazan Jamal, Secretary Excise Islam Zeb, Director General Excise Fayyaz Ali Shah and others attended the meeting.

The chief minister expressed satisfaction at the progress made so far by the department. However, he directed the senior officials concerned to adopt realistic timelines for the implementation of reforms initiatives being undertaken by the department.

He directed the quarters concerned for an early vetting of the rules drafted under Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Control of Narcotics Bill 2019.

Mahmood Khan said the use of narcotics could be reduced up to a considerable extent by controlling narcotics production industries and its supply.

He directed the authorities to take steps for the rehabilitation of drug addicts.

Earlier, while briefing the meeting about the progress it was told that during the last fiscal year, a total of Rs 2917.144 million taxes had been collected while during the last five months of the current financial year a total of Rs 1335.56 million had been gathered.

During the last two years, the Excise Department seized 2288 Kg hashish, 272.50 Kg heroin, 318.30 Kg opium, 9.48 Kg "Ice" (methamphetamine) and 24497.50 litres alcohol, adding that during the said period 355 accused had also been arrested.

Moreover, a huge quantity of narcotics had been seized since July this year, adding that 89 vehicles had been confiscated thus far.

The meeting was told that citizens would get multiple online facilities, including e-payment of property tax, online challan, self-assessment calculator, both in English and Urdu version, and online verification of challan, etc.

Briefing about the reforms initiatives of the department, it was informed that a GIS-based survey was underway in Peshawar and would be completed by the end of this month, adding that the GIS System in Peshawar is expected to be launched formally at the end of February 2021.

It was added that the work on GIS-based survey in Abbottabad and Nowshera was started in October 2020 whereas PC-1 for Kohat and Bannu has also been approved.

It was informed that a project for GIS-based survey in Mardan district has been re-advertised and technical evaluation is in process. Under the new GIS system multiple online facilities would be provided to citizens including e-payment of property tax, online challan, self-assessment calculator, both in English and Urdu version, and online verification of challan etc.

It was informed that besides the facility of payment through banks, multiple other options, including Easy Paisa, Jazz Cash, U-Paisa, ATM, credit/debit card, etc would be provided to facilitate the people.

The participants were briefed about the various important features of digital app prepared for online payments of property tax.