By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China have decided to expand the scope of China, Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPECV) as the world’s first drug-free corridor, linking the safety modules with Russia, Iran, Tajikistan and other regional trade routes.
Minister for Narcotics Control Shehryar Khan Afridi who is in Vienna, Austria, where Pakistan is chairing UNODC’s 63rd CND session in Vienna, held sideline meeting with the participant delegations from China, Russia, Iran, Tajikistan, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other regional countries.
Both China and Pakistan decided to expand the scope of CPEC as a world’s first ever drug free corridor. “Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision is to make CPEC a drug free route” said Shehryar Afridi during the meeting.During the meeting with the Russian delegation, Pakistan’s role as frontline state against drug trafficking and terrorism was recognized by the Russian officials. Both sides also agreed on enhanced trainings to be conducted for law enforcement agencies’ personnel. In order to get rid of drug menace collectively in the region, consultations were made by other regional countries alongside China and Russia.
The Russian delegation appreciated the fact that there was no instance of direct narcotics smuggling from Pakistan into Russia or vice versa.
