LAHORE – Punjab government has decided to restore the largest opium factory in Asia. The authorities have issued directions to the relevant staff to make preparation in this regard and arms license has been requested for the Opium factory in Shadman.
According to the Excise authorities, DG Excise has been ordered to restore the factory which was closed 13 years ago, an ETO rank officer will run the administrative affairs of the factory as a manager.
Opium will be procured from Narcotics Control Agencies of different provinces, the first batch of 640 kg of opium will be received soon, an officer of Excise and Taxation department said here on Monday. Excise authorities say that A-category opium will be supplied at 40 thousand rupees per kg from the opium factory, A-category opium will be supplied to pharmaceutical companies at market rates. Opium of B category is harmful to the human health and it will be destroyed. They said that after the issuance of staff and arms license, the opium factory will be made functional again.
The official opium alkaloid factory established under the Hudud Ordinance 1979 in Lahore was closed in the year 2012 by the then Excise and Taxation Department government of Punjab without any concrete reason.
It is said that the government was constantly incurring huge expenses to run this factory. Although there has always been a demand for medical grade legal opium supposed to be used in the medicine industry. But the government factory has never been able to break even due to bureaucratic corruption.
