Islamabad, 28 July 2022 — The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the U.S. Embassy Islamabad’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) and the Excise, Taxation and Anti-Narcotics Department of Balochistan (ETAN-B) launched a new project “Strengthening Capacity of Excise, Taxation and Anti-Narcotics Balochistan (ETAN-B)” in Islamabad today.

The project focuses on the design and delivery of specialized training courses to ETAN-B officials to further improve their skills and expertise on drugs and prohibited substance control in Balochistan. Under this initiative, UNDP will design and deliver four specialized training courses and comprehensive training of trainers programme to ETAN-B personnel including its senior management. The two-year project will be implemented jointly by UNDP and ETAN-B, with funding from INL.

At the launch event, Secretary ETAN-B, Dr Muhammad Aslam thanked UNDP and U.S. - INL for their support and the valued partnership with ETAN-B to build stronger and highly professional law enforcement services in Pakistan. He further underlined, “INL and UNDP are trusted partners of ETAN-B and have been supporting several infrastructure development and capacity building projects in Pakistan. These projects have contributed significantly to counter-narcotics law enforcement efforts.”

INL Director, Ms Lori Antolinez congratulated UNDP and ETAN-B on this important initiative and remarked, “The launch event today demonstrates the long-term partnership between the U.S. Government and Pakistan. This year, we celebrate the 40th anniversary of our partnership with Pakistan under the banner of ‘Justice, Security, and Prosperity.’” Ms Antolinez also appreciated UNDP for its tireless efforts and declared the project to be an important milestone in INL, ETAN-B and UNDP collaboration to strengthen law enforcement forces in Balochistan.