Chandigarh, Mar 9 (PTI) The Punjab government has registered 875 FIRs and arrested 1,188 drug traffickers in the last 12 days as part of a special campaign, Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said on Sunday.

The 'Yudh Nashian Virudh' (war against drugs) campaign was launched on February 25 and has yielded "extraordinary results", the minister asserted.

Cheema, who is the state's finance minister and chairman of the anti-drug campaign cabinet sub-committee, underscored the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's commitment to eradicating drugs from Punjab.

According to the minister, 875 FIRs have been registered, 1,188 drug traffickers arrested, Rs 35 lakh in drug money seized and narcotics, including 68 kg of heroin, 873 kg of poppy husk, 42 kg of opium and over 6.74 lakh intoxicating tablets confiscated, till March 8.

"Additionally, a widespread awareness campaign is actively mobilising citizens to contribute towards building a drug-free and prosperous Punjab," he was quoted as saying in a statement.

Cheema criticised the previous governments led by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-BJP alliance and the Congress for "creating and fostering the drug epidemic in Punjab". He accused these parties of pushing Punjab's youth into drugs "as part of a deliberate strategy".

"Before 2007, Punjab had never heard of synthetic drugs like heroin or 'chitta.' It was during the SAD-BJP regime that these drugs entered Punjab and destroyed our youth.

"Instead of providing jobs and opportunities, they designed a system to trap Punjab's young generation into addiction," Cheema alleged.

Taking on the previous Congress government, he said, "Captain Amarinder Singh (former Congress leader who is now with the BJP) took a false oath in 2017, promising to eradicate drugs within four weeks.

"Instead, his (Congress) government deepened ties with drug peddlers. Even during the COVID-19 lockdown, while basic necessities were inaccessible, drug trafficking flourished under the Congress rule. This is why the people of Punjab rejected them in 2022 (assembly polls)," he said.

Cheema emphasised that the "AAP's historic mandate in 2022 was a rejection of the SAD-BJP and the Congress' corrupt and anti-people policies".

"Since assuming office, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's government has prioritised modernising the police force and strengthening law enforcement systems to ensure justice," he said.

Cheema highlighted the "stark" differences in conviction rates under the NDPS Act, emphasising the efficiency of the AAP government. He said that while the conviction rate under AAP's tenure stands at an impressive 86 per cent, it was significantly lower during the Congress regime at 58 per cent and even worse under the SAD-BJP government at just 40 per cent.

Cheema also pointed out that some districts have achieved conviction rates exceeding 90 per cent, such as Sangrur at 93 percent, Nawanshahr at 99 per cent, and Ropar at 95 per cent.

"Under the SAD-BJP government, drug traffickers often escaped punishment due to delayed charge sheets," he added.

The government has also undertaken several proactive measures to tackle the drug crisis, he said.

Over 1,028 meetings have been conducted with students in universities and colleges to raise awareness. Additionally, village outreach programmes have been rapidly expanded, including the formation of defense committees composed of retired officers and teachers to address drug-related issues locally.

"In a bold move, the government has also taken action against drug peddlers by demolishing the homes of 22 major drug dealers," he said.

Cheema assured that the "war against drugs" will not stop until every drug trafficker is either in jail or driven out of Punjab.

For those who have fallen prey to addiction, the government is committed to rehabilitation and mental health support, he said.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann recently chaired a high-level meeting of senior officials as part of the state government's renewed push for its anti-drugs campaign in the state, setting a deadline of three months to make the state drug-free. PTI SUN RHL

Anti-drug enforcement intensified with mass arrests, seizures and accelerated NDPS Act prosecutions alongside rehabilitation efforts. Punjab's intensified anti-drugs campaign combines expanded enforcement-including numerous FIRs, mass arrests, large narcotics and proceeds seizures, demolitions of alleged dealers' properties-and accelerated prosecutions under the NDPS Act with police modernisation. Complementary measures comprise broad awareness programmes in educational institutions, village defence committees, and commitments to rehabilitation and mental health support, all coordinated against a stated short term objective to substantially curb trafficking through improved charge sheeting and higher conviction rates.