Crime Reporter
RAWALPINDI:Director General(DG) of the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), Major General Abdul Moeed, HI(M), has visited remote areas of Balochistan amid reports of illegal cultivation of prohibited crops, as Pakistan prepares to launch its Counter-Narcotics and Annual Poppy Eradication Campaign for 2025–2026.The visit was aimed at ensuring early, coordinated action against illicit cultivation, drawing lessons from last year’s campaign. “From the very outset of the sowing season, all relevant federal and provincial departments will work jointly under a coordinated strategy,” an ANF spokesman said.
During the visit, a high-level meeting was held in Balochistan under the chairmanship of the ANF chief, attended by senior representatives of concerned departments. The meeting decided that illegally cultivated crops would be destroyed at the germination stage, avoiding the need for large-scale eradication once crops are fully grown.To ensure timely and accurate identification of vulnerable areas, joint provincial-level task forces have been constituted. The authorities said this marked a shift from reactive operations to a proactive approach aimed at preventing illegal cultivation before it takes root.
An integrated checking and monitoring mechanism will also be put in place to strengthen enforcement and deter criminal elements, participants were told.Officials said modern technology would be employed as part of the campaign, including satellite imagery, agricultural drones, tractors, weedicide sprays and other specialised equipment to support eradication efforts.In parallel, large-scale awareness campaigns will be launched through the media and state institutions. Regular engagements, including Jirgas with local elders, will be held to highlight the social and economic harms associated with illegal crop cultivation.
