RECORDER REPORT

PESHAWAR: The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tuesday introduced a draft bill for the control of narcotics substances, narcotics drugs, psychotropic substances and controlled substances and the production, processing, trafficking and transportation of such drugs and substances.

Under the act, the provincial government shall establish a Narcotics Control Wing headed by a Director under the supervision and control of the Director General, who shall be assisted by such officers and staff members of the Department that Government may appoint from time to time.

After the promulgation of the Act no one shall cultivate any cannabis plant, coca bush or opium poppy: Provided that government may, subject to such conditions as it may specify, permit under license cultivation or gathering of any such narcotics plant, coca bush or opium poppy or portion thereof exclusively for medical, scientific or industrial purposes and whoever contravenes the provisions of the Act shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to seven years or with fine or both.

Similarly, under the draft act, no one shall produce, manufacture, extract, prepare, possess, offer for sale, sell, purchase, distribute, deliver or any terms whatsoever, transport, dispatch any narcotics substances except for medical, scientific or industrial purposes in the manner and subject to such conditions as may be specified.

Furthermore, the inter-provincial carriage of narcotics substances shall be completely prohibited and no one shall organize, manage, traffic in, or finance the transportation, manufacturing or trafficking of any narcotics substance; or use violence or arms for committing or attempt to commit an offence punishable under the act and whoever contravenes the provisions shall be punishable with imprisonment, which may extend up to two years and with fine which may extend up to Rs.1,00,000 but not be less than Rs.50,000 if the quantity of the narcotics substance exceeds ten grams but does not exceed one hundred grams; or imprisonment, which may extend up to seven years and with fine, which may extend up to Rs.3,00,000 but shall not be less than Rs.1,00,000, if the quantity of the narcotics substance exceeds one hundred grams but does not exceed one kilogram; or imprisonment for life or imprisonment for a term which may extend to fourteen years and with fine which may extend up to Rs.1 million and not less than Rs.5,00,000 if the quantity of narcotics substance exceeds the limits of one kilogram; provided that if the quantity exceeds ten kilograms, the punishment shall not be less than imprisonment for life in any case.

Under the law the production of methamphetamine shall also be prohibited and no one shall produce, manufacture, extract, prepare, possess, offer for sale, sell, purchase, distribute, deliver on any terms whatsoever, transport, dispatch, methamphetamine, except for medical, scientific or industrial purposes in the manner and subject to such conditions, as may be specified by government.

Whoever, contravenes the prohibition of methamphetamine shall be punishable with imprisonment, not less than seven years and shall also be liable to fine not less than Rs.3,00,000 if the quantity of methamphetamine does not exceed 100 grams; imprisonment, not less than ten years and shall also be liable to fine not less than Rs.5,00,000 if the quantity of methamphetamine exceed 100 grams, but does not exceed one kilogram; death, imprisonment for life or imprisonment for a term which may extend up to fourteen years and with a fine which may extend to Rs.1 million, if the quantity of methamphetamine exceeds one kilogram.