By: Sharif Khan
Drug abuse is a global issue and a significant challenge for Pakistan, particularly to Gilgit-Baltistan, due to its unique geographic location and connectivity with national and international borders. Gilgit-Baltistan shares international borders with China, Afghanistan, and the Line of Control (LOC) with India. The region has strategic connectivity with Azad Kashmir and KPK at various territories. The geographical connectivity brings both positive and negative changes, one of the negative impacts is the horrible effects of drug abuse.
The types of recreational drugs commonly used in Pakistan and GB include Marijuana aka (“Charas”), opium, cocaine, heroin, shisha, and ice. GB being a landlocked territory is widely connected with KPK province of Pakistan, directly affecting Gilgit Baltistan via activities such as drugs production and trafficking. Reports indicate that Marijuana (Charass) is the widely used drug in the region, used even in minors, college, and university students heavily indulged in the negative use of drugs.
According to a Geo News program, Capital Talk, hosted by Hamid Mir, approximately nine million people in Pakistan are addicted to drugs, with two million of them under the age of 35. Most of these individuals are college and university-going students. The report also indicates that 250,500 people become addicted to drugs every year, resulting in 700 deaths annually. Various Local but authentic sources identified unofficially that 15 to 20 percent of people in GB use Charass, and its use is rapidly increasing.
Additionally, areas directly connected to Brughil Valley-Chitral KPK are linked with Afghanistan, where opium trafficking directly affects the upper side of Chitral, Immit Valley, Ishkoman in district Ghizer, and ultimately affecting other parts of GB. Furthermore, the trafficking of alcohol via the Khunjerab border and locally made unhygenic alcohol in different districts of Gilgit-Baltistan is an alarming matter, where many precious youths are losing their lives due to overdosage of different harmful chemicals such as pesticides and tranquillizers mixed in it. However, superficial investigations have not led to concrete results so far . Moreover, the drug mafias may plan to occupy the small landholders of the areas and manipulate with national and international conspiracies where the existence of the region and even the national interest of the country can be at stake.
To address this alarming issue, some of the recommendations include:-
▪ Good Parenting during the early years of a child decides the future of students and their career ahead. The negative impacts of drug use shall be explained to children by their parents first. Despite education they shall also look after them incase they are in trouble and help them in coming out of it.
▪Arranging awareness sessions in educational institutions with the help of medical doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, and religious scholars where they shall logically explain the impacts of the negative use of drugs and their adverse effects disturbing the human mind and the surroundings.
Bilateral agreements and protocols with neighboring countries, Interprovincial and inter-district coordination and strategies can help in controlling these concerns.
▪ Establishment of rehabilitation centers, counseling of addicts and their families, psycho-social therapies, post-discharge services, follow-up, and future visits shall be planned.
▪ Legislation and strict punishment by courts to teach lessons to the ones involved in such crimes.
As actions speaks louder then words and it’s important to take serious and practical actions through various institutions and implementing strict rules against culprits involved in production, trafficking and consumption can help in making GB a drug free region by defending the country’s greater interest and stability.
