Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday sought introducing modern surveillance on the international border with Pakistan to check narco-terrorism.
In a statement issued here, the Deputy CM, who also holds the Home portfolio, said the porous and riverine tracts alongside the border with Pakistan and lack of sufficient manpower to man the international border effectively were hurting
Punjab and the nation and effective steps should be taken immediately to seal the border and stop entry of drugs into the state.
He said Border Security Force should be provided modern equipment to foil Pakistan’s plan to spread narco-terrorism in the country.
He accused Congress of leading a vicious campaign to malign the name of Punjab and brand its entire youth as drug addicts. “This is being done even though it was the laxity during the ten years old Congress led UPA rule that narco-terrorism had reared its ugly head in the country”, he said.
Sukhbir said in the last year the state narcotics control bureau had confiscated 63 consignments in the border areas besides some heavy seizures of drugs which included seizure of 12 kg heroin in district Tarn
Taran, 18 kg heroin in Amritsar, 13 kg heroin in Ferozepur, 25 kg heroin in Fazilka and 74 kg heroin in Ferozepur. He said in 2014, a total of 14,482 cases were registered under NDPS Act and 17,001 persons arrested whereas in 2015, total 10,162 cases were registered under NDPS Act and the number of persons put behind bars was 11,874.
Badal said the commitment of Punjab towards ridding the state of the menace of drugs was evident from the fact that 29 per cent of national heroin seizures and 41 per cent of national opium seizures were affected in the state in 2013.