World Anti-Narcotics Day observed

While after blocking the golden crescent route the supply of drugs got stopped, therefore, the drug suppliers entered the Central Asia to avoid their financial loss. Later the suppliers started supplying drugs from UAE by sea routes but it could not be continued further. Thus, the drug was introduced in Pakistan and other Central Asian countries, informed Shoaib.

Local experience suggests that female drug users especially injecting drug users represent a small segment of Afghanistan's drug users population, yet their situation is of particular concern. This is compounded to women's unique social and biological vulnerabilities which often place them at a higher risk of HIV transmission.

On the other side, the government officials, in their survey, admitted that about 30-40 HIV positive cases have been diagnosed every year and the numbers are increasing day-by-day.

The National Assessment Study on the drug abuse situation in Pakistan, conducted in 2000, estimated the number of hardcore drug dependent persons (chronic heroin users and injecting drug users) at 500,000. These figures would suggest that Pakistan has one of the highest rates of heroin abuse in the world. The study also showed that cannabis type drugs (hashish and charas) were the drugs most often reported to be commonly used, followed by heroin, alcohol and tranquillisers.