DATE=4/21/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-230007
TITLE=PAK DRUGS (L-O)
BYLINE=SARAH HORNER
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: HUNDREDS OF PAKISTANI SOLDIERS HAVE BEGUN DESTROYING
OPIUM CROPS IN A REMOTE CORNER OF PAKISTAN. AS SARAH HORNER
REPORTS, THE MOVE COMES JUST BEFORE THE OPIUM POPPIES ARE DUE TO
BE HARVESTED.
TEXT: NEWS AGENCIES REPORT HUNDREDS OF SOLDIERS BACKED BY FIVE
ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIERS MOVED (TUESDAY) INTO PAKISTAN'S
NORTH-WEST FRONTIER PROVINCE.
THEIR GOAL IS TO DESTROY OPIUM POPPIES -- THE RAW METERIAL USED
TO MAKE HEROIN -- BEFORE AN EXPECTED BUMPER HARVEST IN EARLY MAY.
THE SOLDIERS -- WHO BELONG TO THE PARAMILITARY FRONTIER CORPS --
ALONG WITH LOCAL MILITIAMEN AND POLICEMEN HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED IN
DIR (PRON: DEER) DISTRICT, 120 KILOMETRES FROM THE PAKISTANI
CAPITAL, ISLAMABAD.
NEWS AGENCIES SAY OPIUM HAS BEEN PLANTED ON AN ESTIMATED
13-HUNDRED HECTARES OF LAND IN DIR DISTRICT -- AN AREA FOUR TIMES
LARGER THAN LAST YEAR.
JOURNALISTS IN PESHAWAR TOLD V-O-A PRIOR TO THE OPERATION, POLICE
ARRESTED 12 TRIBAL LEADERS FOR ALLEGEDLY RESISTING THE
DESTRUCTION OF THE CROPS.
INTERNATIONAL DONOR AGENCIES HAVE MADE THE ERADICATION OF OPIUM
POPPIES IN DIR A CONDITION OF FURTHER FUNDING FOR DRUG CONTROL
PROJECTS. THE PROJECTS ARE WORTH MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO PAKISTAN
EACH YEAR.
THE CHIEF MINISTER OF NORTHWEST FRONTIER PROVINCE -- SARDAR
MEHTAB KHAN -- TOLD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS HE WAS CONFIDENT THE
ERADICATION PROGRAM CAN BE IMPLEMENTED 100 PER CENT.
HE SAID SOME LOCAL TRIBAL CHIEFS HAVE AGREED TO DESTROY THEIR
CROPS. IN AREAS WHERE THE CHIEFS REFUSE TO COOPERATE, MR. KHAN
SAID THE FRONTIER CORPS WILL MOVE IN AND DESTROY THE CROPS.
IN THE PAST, SUCH ACTION BY PAKISTANI AUTHORITIES HAS LED TO
VIOLENT CLASHES. FARMERS ARE OFTEN ARMED WITH MORTARS AND
ROCKETS AND PAKISTANI SOLDIERS HAVE USED ARTILLERY WEAPONS ON
OCCASION.
SOME OF THE OPIUM CROP IS TURNED INTO HEROIN IN PAKISTAN AND SOME
IS MANUFACTURED IN CENTRAL ASIA. MUCH OF THE HEROIN PRODUCED ENDS
UP IN EUROPE.
BUT HEROIN ABUSE IS BECOMING A PROBLEM IN PAKISTAN. THE UNITED
NATIONS INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL BOARD REPORTS WIDESPREAD
USE IN THE COUNTRY AND SAYS THE INJECTION OF HEROIN IS AN
EMERGING TREND AMONG YOUNG PAKISTANIS.
THE U-S STATE DEPARTMENT'S INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL
STRATEGY REPORT NOTES AN INCREASE OF 21 PER CENT IN OPIUM
PRODUCTION IN PAKISTAN DURING 1997. (SIGNED)
NEB/SLH/KL
21-Apr-98 12:28 PM EDT (1628 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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