PESHAWAR, Aug 21 (APP):Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Law, Advocate Aftab Alam here Thursday chaired a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Legislation and reviews Control of Narcotics Substance Act (CNSA) 2025.

The meeting was attended by Provincial Minister for Agriculture, Sajjad Barkwal, Minister for Excise and Narcotics Control Mian Khaliq-ur-Rehman, Advocate General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shah Faisal Utman Khel, Secretary Law Department Akhtar Saeed Turk, Director General Excise and Narcotics Control besides officials from the Board of Revenue, Finance, and other relevant departments.

During the meeting, officials from the Excise and Narcotics Control Department gave a detailed briefing regarding the proposed amendments to CNSA 2025.

On the occasion, the law minister said that the primary objective of the amendments in CNSA 2025 is to harmonize the law with the amendments made at the federal level and in other provinces to ensure uniformity.

He added that while concerns about human rights and judicial complications exist regarding the enforcement of the death penalty, the provincial government’s zero-tolerance policy against narcotics would remain intact. He clarified that the purpose of reducing the punishment is not to encourage crime but to make the law more just and implementable.

AG KP, Shah Faisal Utman Khel informed the meeting that under Article 9, the punishment for narcotics cannot be declared unconstitutional. He emphasized that the Excise Department and Police should compile comprehensive data regarding the sensitivity of the matter and its impacts and recommendations from medical experts and the Department of Religious Affairs should also be incorporated.

The minister said that it is essential to thoroughly examine the possible impacts of altering the punishment for narcotics so that the drug mafia is not given any leeway. Highlighting the importance of research-based analysis on the pattern of Sindh’s CNSA, he directed the formation of a sub-committee of the Cabinet Committee which would present its recommendations in the next meeting within one month.

The meeting also reviewed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Establishment of Special Courts (Overseas Pakistanis’ Property) Bill 2025. Officials of the Board of Revenue gave a detailed briefing on the 23 sections of the draft bill and informed that a special facilitation cell had been established to address the concerns and issues of overseas Pakistanis regarding their immovable properties. However, the establishment of special courts requires the recommendations of the committee.