Balochistan border routes being used for drug trade: Malik
KARACHI, April 14 (APP): Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said that narcotics worth dollars 5 billion was being traded from Afghanistan via porous border routes of Balochistan.“Smuggling is going on unabated but at the same time we need to support our Coast Guards and provide them sophisticated equipment to monitor any illegal activity including narcotics and human trafficking,” he said while addressing the passing out parade of 34th batch of Pakistan Coast Guards (PCG) at their training centre at Korangi on Thursday.
He announced that four new battalions of coast guards will be raised and will provided helicopters, speed boats and planes to further improve their surveillance.Out of the 326 recruits of the 34th batch, 83 hailed from Balochistan.
“It is on the directive of Prime Minister and the President that initiative has been taken to give equal opportunity to the people of Balochistan to be recruited in law enforcing agencies and defend their motherland,” he added.
“Enemies are hatching conspiracies against our country all the time, but we will foil all such attempts,” Malik said.
The Minister said that Pakistan was facing serious threat of terrorism and warned that all such elements will be eliminated with full force by the government. 
On the occasion, he also announced that the Coast Guards were being given all powers of Customs and Immigration to boost their powers to check any illegal activity in their jurisdiction.
Interior Minister said that allowances of coasts guards will also be raised and 5 percent job quota will be for women who were also required to be recruited as Coast Guards.
He also announced Rs 1 million as ‘Shuhda Fund’ for the Coast Guards as a seed money on behalf of Interior Ministry.
Earlier, Director General of Coast Guards, Brig. Shaheryar Khan, also gave a presentation and highlighted the performance of the Coast Guards.