PAKISTAN 'HOOKED ON HEROIN'

Heroin Is Sweeping Through Pakistan

More than a million Pakistanis are thought to be addicted to heroin
according to the United Nations.

Most users are middle class Pakistan is on one of the main transit routes
for heroin on the way from Afghanistan to the West. This is thought to be
the main reason for the huge rise in the number of addicts.

The rate of addiction is double that of the US and growing. Most addicts
are between 20 and 35 and part of Pakistan's growing middle class.

"The situation of addiction in Pakistan is worrying us very much," says
Pino Arlacchi of the UN's Drug Control Programme. "Pakistan has today one
and a half million heroin addicts, it is one of the largest addict
populations in the developing world."

Pakistan has clamped down on its own smugglers The country's position on
the heroin trail is thought to bring in $1.3bn a year in revenue.

Pakistan has had success in cutting down its own heroin production, but it
has been unable to stop the influx of the drug from Afghanistan.

Pakistani leaders are caught in a political problem as much of the heroin
that floods into the country comes from areas of Afghanistan controlled by
the Taleban, who are openly supported by the government in Islamabad.

The Taleban say they are against the growth of heroin, but are unable to do
anything about it without international help.

Addicts are given new skills With so many addicts and few resources the
Pakistani Government is making little headway against the problem. There
are some nongovernmental rehabilitation centres which offer retraining,
counselling and new skills.

"People want a better quality of life, but don't have access to it, that
causes frustration," says Tariq Zafar who runs a rehabilitation centre.

He concedes it is a tough battle: "We want to alter that frustration, and
40 rupees worth of Heroin can literally alter your frustration for that
particular moment."