Drug dealers to get death sentence or life imprisonment per new law

• President Dr Arif Alvi assents to Control of Narcotic Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2022.
• This includes drugs of varying quantities including heroin, morphine, cocaine and methamphetamine (ICE).
• Act provides maximum punishment for offences involving drugs inside or near educational institutes. 

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Friday assented to the Control of Narcotic Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2022, which allows a death sentence or life imprisonment for illicit trafficking of narcotics and psychotropic drugs. 

This includes drugs of varying quantities including heroin, morphine, cocaine, and methamphetamine (ICE).

The Act provides a maximum punishment if the offence involves any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance inside or near a school, college, university, educational premises, or any other educational institution.

After President Alvi's approval, the bill has become the Control of Narcotic Substances (Amendment) Act, 2022 in terms of Article 75 of the Constitution. 

The Control of Narcotic Substances (Amendment) Act, 2022, allows imprisonment which may extend to life imprisonment, however, not less than 20 years with a fine not less than Rs1 million for offences involving heroin and morphine weighing 4kg or more.

The said Act also provides a death sentence or imprisonment which shall not be less than life, along with a fine up to Rs2 million but not less than Rs1.5 million rupees for offences involving heroin or morphine weighing 6kg or more.

It allows a death sentence or life imprisonment but not less than 20 years along with a fine not less than Rs2.5 million rupees for offences involving cocaine weighing 5kg or more.

The Act also provides a death sentence or life imprisonment and a fine not less than Rs2.5 million for offences involving possession of 4kg or more of psychotropic substance methamphetamine (ICE).