US TO CONTINUE HELP IN ANTI-NARCOTICS ACTIVITIES

ISLAMABAD, Oct 19: U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan William B. Milam on
Tuesday assured that his country would continue to support Pakistani
efforts to increase awareness of the drug abuse problem and reduce
demand for illegal narcotics. He made these remarks at the conclusion
of finals of the All Pakistan Declamation Contest on, "Narcotics and
the Future of Youth in Pakistan." "Much has been said in the recent
days about the future of Pakistan. As I look out on the faces of
(young) participants in this competition, I am reminded of just how
bright that future can be."

He said the United States provides significant assistance to Pakistan
to help eliminate poppy production and investigate, intercept, and
punish drug traffickers. "This work is important, but so are efforts
to educate the Citizens of Pakistan about the dangers of drug
addiction," he said and added, "for this reason, we will continue to
support effort to increase awareness of the drug abuse problem and
reduce demand for illegal narcotics."

"Let us link arms and work together to defeat the narcotics problem at
all points from demand reduction to poppy crop eradication and the
prosecution of drug kingpins," Milam added.

Major General Zafar Abbas, Director General Anti Narcotics Force, said
Afghanistan happened to be the main source of narcotics production.
"Pakistan today is victim and transit country and not source country,"
he said and added poppy cultivation has almost been eliminated in the
country. Moreover, he said, heroin producing factories had also been
dismantled in the country. He said there some 4 million drug abusers
in Pakistan.