PAK-IRAN-AFGHAN OFFICIALS DISCUSS CURBING DRUGS

ISLAMABAD: Senior anti-narcotics officials from Pakistan, Afghanistan and
Iran opened a two-day meeting in Islamabad on Monday to focus on the ways
of curbing the ongoing drug trafficking in the region.

Elements required for the development of a 'Drug Law Enforcement Programme'
between Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan, under the sponsorship of the United
Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) were discussed in the meeting.

The possibility of extending the Memorandum of Understanding signed between
Pakistan and Iran to Afghanistan was also discussed. It was agreed that
designated points of contact or Drug Liaison officers will be appointed in
respective embassies of Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan. The meeting also
discussed the training of Afghan Drug Law Enforcement officers in Pakistan
and Iran under the UNODC's sponsorship.

The Inter-Government Technical Committee (IGTC) meeting was organised by
the Anti-Narcotics Force in collaboration with the UNODC. A nine-member
Iranian delegation was headed by Dr Ali Hashim, vice president and
secretary general of the Drug Control Headquarters Iran, while the Afghan
delegation was headed by Mirwais Yesine, director general of the Narcotics
Control Division Afghanistan.

The IGTC meeting is held alternately in Islamabad and Tehran each year.
This was the fourth such meeting in which Afghanistan was invited.

Pakistan was represented by Maj Gen Nadeem Ahmed, secretary of the minister
for narcotics force, HQrs ANF Director Brig Dikandar Ali, the director
general of the Coast Guards and the director general of the Maritime
Security Agency. NNI