LAHORE – Pakistan is all set to reopen the state-owned opium factory after 6-years of closure, in what appears to be a surprise move for the conservative state.
The ‘government Opium Alkaloid Factory’ was established under the Prohibition of Enforcement of Haudod Order 1979 but was later shut down by the excise and taxation department in 2012.
Punjab Narcotics Force Director General (DG) Raja Zahid has said that he had assumed his office recently but would take steps to reopen the opium factory keeping in view the problems faced by patients, reported a local media outlet.
The “unlawful” closure of the factory has resulted in the loss of millions of rupees for the government exchequer.
After the closure, the factory’s premises had been rented out to a private firm that manufactures vehicle registration plates.
Narcotics Control Division of the Ministry of Interior has reportedly sent repeated reminders to the Punjab Government pertaining to the factory’s reopening.
The division, in a letter to the Punjab Government, had said, “It may be seen that the matter has been pending for a while, for want of comments from your side and as a result, the business of pharmaceutical firms is getting negatively affected.”
Before the shutdown, the opium factory used to sell fresh and refined opium to pharma companies for Rs 20,000 per kilogram. The main suppliers of opium to this factory were Pakistan Coast Guard, Karachi, Pakistan Rangers, Frontier Constabulary, Quetta and the police, which seized smuggled drugs which were sent to the factory free of cost for medicine companies.
The factory had been initially established to ensure the provision of Opium to herbal centres and licensed pharmaceutical companies in the country, however, its closure inflicted a heavy damage on the industry.
