Anti Narcotics Force Act (ANF 1997)

This 1997 Act establishes Pakistan's Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF). Section 3 constitutes the Force under a Director-General appointed by the Federal Government, and on commencement it absorbed the former Pakistan Narcotics Control Board and the Anti-Narcotics Task Force, with their staff, cases, assets, and liabilities transferring to the new Force. Section 4 puts superintendence of the Force in the Federal Government's hands and administration in the Director-General, who exercises the same powers as an Inspector-General of Police, plus court-martial-convening powers over any Force members drawn from the armed forces.

Section 5 lists the Force's functions: investigating and prosecuting offences connected to narcotics production, manufacture, trafficking, or smuggling, including offences under the Control of Narcotic Substances Ordinance, 1996; tracing and freezing narcotics-linked assets; assisting other enforcement agencies; liaising internationally; and coordinating elimination of poppy cultivation. Section 6 gives ANF members, throughout Pakistan, the same search, arrest, and seizure powers as police officers, and lets an Inspector-rank or above officer arrest without warrant anyone reasonably suspected of a narcotics offence. The same section lets authorized members investigate and trace a suspect's assets and order that suspicious property not be moved or disposed of without permission; violating such an order is punishable with rigorous imprisonment for up to three years, a fine, or both (Section 6(6)). Section 6(8) also lets the Federal Government transfer narcotics cases from police, customs, excise, or the Federal Investigation Agency to the ANF.

Section 7 requires enforcement staff to wear a prescribed uniform. Section 8 sets out ANF's internal disciplinary system, with minor punishments (censure, forfeiture of approved service up to two years, withholding of promotion up to one year, stoppage of increment for up to three years, a fine of up to one month's pay, confinement to quarters for up to fifteen days, and extra drill up to fifteen days) and major punishments (reduction in rank, compulsory retirement, removal, and dismissal). Section 9 lists the grounds for such punishment, including inefficiency, misconduct, corruption (including living beyond known means), or involvement in subversive or narcotics-related activity. The Schedule sets out exactly which rank of officer (Director-General, Director, Deputy Director, or Assistant Director) can award each punishment to staff of a given rank.

Section 12 applies the Police Act, 1861, the Police Rules, 1934, and the Punjab Police (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules, 1975 to members up to Inspector rank, and the Civil Servants Act, 1973 to other staff. Section 14 makes Directors, Deputy Directors, and Assistant Directors ex-officio public prosecutors for narcotics cases. Section 16 grants indemnity for actions taken in good faith under the Act.

The extract does not show a significant amendment history for this Act, so its structure appears to reflect the original 1997 text, though as always it is worth confirming current details against the official version.