Pakistani Official: Pakistan Barring Narcotic Drugs Transit To Iran Via Balochistan Border

Tehran, Dec 19, IRNA - Pakistani Deputy Minister of Narcotics Control Javid Iqbal said on Tuesday Pakistan fully controls its borders in Balochistan province to bar narcotic drugs transit to Iran. He made the remarks in a meeting with Interior Minister and Secretary of the Drugs Control Headquarters Mostafa Mohammad Najjar on the sidelines of the Sixth Iran-Pakistan-Afghanistan Tripartite Ministerial Meeting (Tripartite Initiative) in Tehran. Iqbal said Pakistan is to adopt a preemptive approach and policy in this regard from 2014 when the western troops will leave Afghanistan. Pointing to his country's relentless efforts to fight drug trafficking, he called for more serious cooperation between Iran and Pakistan in the combat against narcotics transit along joint borders besides their tripartite cooperation with Afghanistan in this regard. The deputy minister described Iran and Pakistan as the victims of illegal drug smuggling in the world and blamed Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan as the main smugglers of narcotic drugs to Iran. Iqbal called on Iran to construct a barrier between the two countries and expressed hope that Iran would take this proposal seriously and take suitable action in this regard. He asked Iran to establish a border police office at Gord Jangal'' area along the joint border lines. The two-day meeting of representatives of Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan was held in Tehran to intensify fight against narcotic drugs and terrorists. The first day of the meeting which is to make use of existing opportunities and proposals to accelerate fights against narcotic drugs, was held at the level of anti-drug experts in which the United Nations deputy secretary general participated./end