Cautioning people against the nefarious designs of the enemy, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday said that Pakistan is using narcotics as an insidious weapon to fund terror groups and destroy the younger generation of the Union Territory.
Launching the Nasha Mukti Abhiyan in the border district of Rajouri as part of his 100-day deadline to make Jammu and Kashmir drug-free, the Lieutenant Governor asserted that a decisive war has been launched against narcotics and sought the support of all sections of society to eradicate the menace.
"Not all wars are fought on borders. Some battles brew unseen, and for years countless families in Jammu and Kashmir have fought addiction within their homes, with many losing their loved ones," he said.
"Our terrorist neighbour is deploying drugs as a weapon—smuggling narcotics to fund terror and erode our nation's strength from within," Sinha said after joining a padyatra and addressing a public rally under the 'Drug-Free J&K' campaign.
Describing Rajouri as a "sensitive" border district vulnerable to cross-border smuggling, the Lieutenant Governor said a crackdown launched on April 11 has already resulted in the registration of over 45 FIRs, the arrest of 63 smugglers, and large-scale seizures. "Regular checks are now being conducted in schools, pharmacies, and drug outlets. This drive will continue," he added.
Sinha said addiction is not merely a personal failing but a "gaping wound in society's fabric" and called for a united fight against what he termed a cross-border conspiracy. "We shall prevail by uniting as one. Every citizen must rise with unyielding resolve," he said.
Highlighting intensified action, the Lieutenant Governor said cases registered after April 11 have seen a three-fold increase over the past week. He reiterated the 100-day deadline to dismantle drug networks, stating, "When the power of society and the might of the administration come together, neither smugglers nor criminals will be spared."
He directed police and enforcement agencies to ensure exemplary punishment for drug traffickers, asserting that those destroying generations will not be allowed to escape. A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) has been put in place to dismantle smuggling networks and ensure swift justice, he added.
Referring to the launch of the campaign, the lieutenant governor said, "On April 11, from the historic grounds of MA Stadium in Jammu, we sounded the clarion call for a total war by launching a resolute 100-day campaign against drug addiction. Addiction is not a mere personal failing; it is a deep wound in our society. Our terrorist neighbour uses it as a weapon—fuelling terror through drug smuggling and weakening our nation from within."
"In 100 days, we must decisively break the backbone of drug networks. When society's collective strength aligns with administrative action, no smuggler or criminal will be spared," he added.
