The incidents of drugs being smuggled from Pakistan to India have been common and numerous in number. These incidents usually happen in the state of Punjab which has been facing a drug problem for the last few decades. Now in a drastic turn of events, a close aide of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has admitted to smugglers using drones to smuggles heroin into India.

Malik Mohammed Ahmad Khan, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Special Assistant on Defence, made the admission during an interview with Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir in Kasur. It is notable that Kasur borders the state of Punjab in India. Khan represents Kasur in Pakistan’s Provincial Assembly.

As seen in the video tweeted by Hamid Mir on July 17, Mir asked Khan a question regarding the cross-border smuggling of narcotics in Kasur, to which Khan assented.  “Yes, and this smuggling is very scary. Recently, two incidents unfolded in which 10 kg of heroin was tied to each drone and thrown across.” Agencies are working to put an end to this,” Khan said.

Mir was also spotted having conversations with the people in Kasur who stated that they do not have access to mobile networks. Mir told Indian Express that people informed him about drone movements and narcotics smuggling from Pakistan to India, as well as liquor smuggling from India into Pakistan.

Notably, Kasur is located across Khemkaran and Ferozepur in Indian Punjab. According to data provided earlier this month by Punjab Police, 795 FIRs were lodged under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act in Ferozepur district alone between July 2022 and July 2023. According to the official data, the majority of the drugs were seized in Punjab regions bordering Pakistan. In January this year, the Border Security Force (BSF) revealed that in the year 2022, around 22 drones were captured. Along with weapons and ammunition, the BSF also seized 316.98 kilograms of heroin. 

Also, have a look :Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif’s aide admits to drones being used to drop drugs in Punjab