(295th Session) SENATE SECRETARIAT ————— “QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWERS AND THEIR REPLIES” to be asked at a sitting of the Senate to be held on Tuesday, the 28th January, 2020 @(Def.) *Question No. 181 Senator Chaudhary Tanvir Khan: (Notice Received on 2/04/2019 at 12:15 PM) QID: 35016 Will the Minister for Railways be pleased to state: (a) the number of railway bridges in the country with division wise and location wise break up; and (b) whether there is any proposal under consideration of the Government to construct new railway bridges and repair the old ones, if so, the details thereof? Sheikh Rashid Ahmed: (a) There are 14021 Railway Bridges in the country. Detail with division wise and location wise break up is attached as Annexure-A, B & C. (b) At present proposals regarding construction / repair of the following bridges are under process. @ Deferred on 10th January, 2020. @*Question No. 10 Senator Mushtaq Ahmed: (Notice Received on 20/05/2019 at 3:50 PM) QID: 36109 Will the Minister for Railways be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that Railways suffered a loss of Rs. 29 billion during the last 8 months, if so, the reasons thereof; and (b) the steps being taken by the Government to get Pakistan Railways out of its deficit/losses? Sheikh Rashid Ahmed: (a) The Accounts of Pakistan Railways for the financial year 2018-2019 have been closed and presented for Audit. As per these un-audited Accounts, Pakistan Railways has reduced its deficit to Rs.32.769 billion for financial year 2018-19 as compared to the deficit of Rs.36.622 billion for financial year 2017-18. The deficit was decreased by Rs.3.853 billion despite that Pakistan Railways had to spend an additional amount of Rs.3.169 billion on account of increases in High Speed Fuel prices, Pay, Pension and depreciation of Pak Rupee against US Dollar. (b) Following steps have been taken to improve financial position of Pakistan Railways: Pakistan Railways has started 24 new trains with the same rolling stock and human resources which resulted in additional revenue earning of Rs. 4.938 billion (54.514-49.576 = 4.938) as compared to the last financial year (2017-2018). Introduction of EFI locomotives and Trains Tracking System has contributed in reducing the fuel consumption by 2.000 million liters. @ Deferred on 10th January, 2020. @*Question No. 11 Senator Mushtaq Ahmed: (Notice Received on 20/05/2019 at 3:50 PM) QID: 36114 Will the Minister for Narcotics Control be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that 8 million people are addicted to marijuana in the country, if so, the steps being taken by the Government to control the same; and (b) the steps being taken by the Government for the treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts in the country? Mr. Shehryar Afridi: (a) 1. Recently, no drug survey of Pakistan has been done. Many NGOs are quoting wrong figures in public/ electronic & print media to serve their interest. Last survey with collaboration of UNODC was held in 2012 and published in 2013 which states that: a. Approximately six per cent of the population, or 6.7 million people had used narcotics and controlled substance including Opium, Heroin, Cannabis, Amphetamine, Methamphetamine, Cocaine and misused prescription drugs, in the year 2012. b. Cannabis is the most commonly used drug, with a prevalence of 3.6 percent of the population, equivalent to four million users nationwide. c. The majority of drug users fell between 25 and 39 years of age. Cannabis use was highest among people aged 30 to 34 years. SUMMARY d. Approx Pakistani Addicts as per UNODC Survey Report-2013 6.7 M (67,000,000):— • Cannabis Users - 4 M (40,000,000) • Heroin Users- 0.86 M (8,60,000) • Opium Users- 0.32 M (3,20,000) @ Deferred on 10th January, 2020. • Meth Users - 0.019 M (19,000) • Injected Drug Users - 0.43 M (4,30,000) • Non Prescript Drugs - 1.6 M (16,000,000) The Ministry of Narcotics Control (MNC) being the lead Ministry on the subject of Narcotics is taking various steps to stop the menace of narcotics in the society, particularly, the youth. The steps are as under: 1. In the domain of “Drug Demand Reduction” Ministry of Narcotics Control is conducting following activities throughout the country to curb the menace of drugs: • Lectures/Awareness Sessions/Seminars. • T.V Programs. • Radio Programs. • Awareness Walks 2. To curtail the “Supply of Drugs”, MNC has embarked upon various steps which include: • Launching of campaigns/crackdown against drug peddlers involving all law enforcement agencies (LEAs) including police under Inter Agency Task Force. • Establishment of Canine units (sniffer dogs) at each Regional Directorate. • Expansion of Intelligence network of ANF to main cities. • Use of CCTV camera for effective profiling of passengers at airports. • Pre-Export Notification (PEN) online system is in practice to check misuse/diversion of precursors. • Deployment of ANF personnel at all international airports, seaports and dry ports. • Destruction of poppy cultivation with collaboration of Provincial and district Government to maintain poppy free status since 2001. 3. Formulation of revised comprehensive National Anti Narcotics Policy, 2019. 4. Successful Completion of Khyber Area Development Project (Phase-I) and Kala Dhaka Area Development Project for alternative means of livelihood. 5. ―National Drug Use Survey‖ was carried out in 2013. Fresh survey is underway and likely to be completed in 2019. 6. On Pakistan’s Initiative, United Nations Commission on Narcotics Drugs (UNCND) adopted resolution titled ―Strengthening Efforts to Prevent Drug Use in Educational Settings‖ in its 61st Session (March 2018) in Vienna, Austria. To implement this resolution, a National stakeholders meeting was held on 18-10- 2018 wherein representatives of Federal/Provincial governments (including AJK & GB) participated. The objective of the meeting was to prepare National Strategy on prevention of drugs in educational settings. 7. Creation of online complaint management system to redress complaints regarding drug control. 8. Proposed Amendment in CNS Act, 1997 to make it more effective: • Punishments and penalties proposed to be proportionate to the offence with emphasis on type/quality of drug. • Inclusion of synthetic drugs due to their high potency and availability in small quantities compared to natural drugs. • Maximum penalties for supply of drugs to near educational institutions. (b) The steps being taken by the Government for the treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts is attached at Annex-A. Patients treated since the inception of various MATRCs is attached as “Annex-B. @*Question No. 17 Senator Sassui Palijo: (Notice Received on 22/05/2019 at 2:50 PM) QID: 36119 Will the Minister for Railways be pleased to state whether it is a fact that the deficit being faced by Pakistan Railways has started to decrease as compared to the last five years, if so, the details thereof? Sheikh Rashid Ahmed: The details of the deficit of Pakistan Railways for last five years from 2014-15 to 2018-19 is given below:— The deficit shows a declining trend during last three (03) years. The deficit was decreased to Rs.32.769 billion despite Pakistan Railways had to spend an additional amount of Rs.3.330 billion on account of increases in High Speed Fuel prices, Pay, Pension and depreciation of Pak Rupee against US Dollar. In addition Pakistan Railways has started 24 new trains with the same rolling stock and human resources which resulted in additional revenue of earning Rs.4.938 billion during financial year (2018-2019). Further more introduction of Trains Tracking System and EFI locomotives has contributed in reducing the fuel consumption by 2.000 million liters. @ Deferred on 10th January, 2020. @*Question No. 18 Senator Mushtaq Ahmed: (Notice Received on 23/05/2019 at 10:20 AM) QID: 36133 Will the Minister for Narcotics Control be pleased to state: (a) the estimated number of drug addicts in the country with age wise break up; and (b) the steps being taken by the Government to control and eliminate the menace of drugs in the country? Mr. Shehryar Afridi: Last survey of drug users in Pakistan ―Drug Use in Pakistan‖ was carried out by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics in 2012 in collaboration with Ministry of Narcotics Control (then NCD) & UNODC. The final report / results of the survey were published in year 2013 named ―Drug Use in Pakistan – 2013‖. As per the survey report 2013, approximately 6 % or 6.7 million people between the ages of 15-64 years were using any illicit drug including misuse of prescription drugs. 2. After 2012, no drug use survey has been conducted; hence current status of drug use in the country and number of drug users cannot be estimated accurately However, efforts are underway for conducting fresh survey on drug use in Pakistan, in collaboration with UNODC. (b) The Ministry of Narcotics Control (MNC) being the lead Ministry on the subject of Narcotics is taking various steps to eliminate the menace of narcotics in the society. In the domain of drug demand reduction Ministry of Narcotics Control/ANF are conducting following activities: • Lectures/Awareness Sessions / Seminars T.V Programs. • Radio Programs. • Awareness Walks (Annex-A) 2. To curtail the supply of drugs, MNC has embarked upon various steps which include: a. Source/ informer’s cultivation & acquisition of actionable intelligence at all entry & exit points of the country. @ Deferred on 10th January, 2020. b. 29x Police stations of ANF are working in the country to control / stop the smuggling / spread of narcotics. c. Launching of campaigns / crackdown against drug peddlers involving Police under IATF forum. d.