DATE=4/21/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-230007
TITLE=PAK DRUGS (L-O)
BYLINE=SARAH HORNER
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  HUNDREDS OF PAKISTANI SOLDIERS HAVE BEGUN DESTROYING 
OPIUM CROPS IN A REMOTE CORNER OF PAKISTAN.  AS SARAH HORNER 
REPORTS, THE MOVE COMES JUST BEFORE THE OPIUM POPPIES ARE DUE TO 
BE HARVESTED.

TEXT: NEWS AGENCIES REPORT HUNDREDS OF SOLDIERS BACKED BY FIVE 
ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIERS MOVED (TUESDAY) INTO PAKISTAN'S 
NORTH-WEST FRONTIER PROVINCE.

THEIR GOAL IS TO DESTROY OPIUM POPPIES -- THE RAW METERIAL USED 
TO MAKE HEROIN -- BEFORE AN EXPECTED BUMPER HARVEST IN EARLY MAY.

THE SOLDIERS -- WHO BELONG TO THE PARAMILITARY FRONTIER CORPS -- 
ALONG WITH LOCAL MILITIAMEN AND POLICEMEN HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED IN 
DIR (PRON: DEER) DISTRICT, 120 KILOMETRES FROM THE PAKISTANI 
CAPITAL, ISLAMABAD.

NEWS AGENCIES SAY OPIUM HAS BEEN PLANTED ON AN ESTIMATED 
13-HUNDRED HECTARES OF LAND IN DIR DISTRICT -- AN AREA FOUR TIMES
LARGER THAN LAST YEAR.

JOURNALISTS IN PESHAWAR TOLD V-O-A PRIOR TO THE OPERATION, POLICE
ARRESTED 12 TRIBAL LEADERS FOR ALLEGEDLY RESISTING THE 
DESTRUCTION OF THE CROPS.

INTERNATIONAL DONOR AGENCIES HAVE MADE THE ERADICATION OF OPIUM 
POPPIES IN DIR A CONDITION OF FURTHER FUNDING FOR DRUG CONTROL 
PROJECTS.  THE PROJECTS ARE WORTH MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO PAKISTAN
EACH YEAR.

THE CHIEF MINISTER OF NORTHWEST FRONTIER PROVINCE -- SARDAR 
MEHTAB KHAN -- TOLD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS HE WAS CONFIDENT THE 
ERADICATION PROGRAM CAN BE IMPLEMENTED 100 PER CENT.

HE SAID SOME LOCAL TRIBAL CHIEFS HAVE AGREED TO DESTROY THEIR 
CROPS.  IN AREAS WHERE THE CHIEFS REFUSE TO COOPERATE, MR. KHAN 
SAID THE FRONTIER CORPS WILL MOVE IN AND DESTROY THE CROPS. 

IN THE PAST, SUCH ACTION BY PAKISTANI AUTHORITIES HAS LED TO 
VIOLENT CLASHES.  FARMERS ARE OFTEN ARMED WITH MORTARS AND 
ROCKETS AND PAKISTANI SOLDIERS HAVE USED ARTILLERY WEAPONS ON 
OCCASION.

SOME OF THE OPIUM CROP IS TURNED INTO HEROIN IN PAKISTAN AND SOME
IS MANUFACTURED IN CENTRAL ASIA. MUCH OF THE HEROIN PRODUCED ENDS
UP IN EUROPE.

BUT HEROIN ABUSE IS BECOMING A PROBLEM IN PAKISTAN. THE UNITED 
NATIONS INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL BOARD REPORTS WIDESPREAD 
USE IN THE COUNTRY AND SAYS THE INJECTION OF HEROIN IS AN 
EMERGING TREND AMONG YOUNG PAKISTANIS.

THE U-S STATE DEPARTMENT'S INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL 
STRATEGY REPORT NOTES AN INCREASE OF 21 PER CENT IN OPIUM 
PRODUCTION IN PAKISTAN DURING 1997. (SIGNED)

NEB/SLH/KL 

21-Apr-98 12:28 PM EDT (1628 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.