CS dismayed at failure to cut off drug supplies to educational institutions

karachi: Sindh Chief Secretary Dr Mohammad Sohail Rajput has expressed his dismay at the persistent distribution of illegal substances among students at prestigious educational institutions. “Despite different measures, we have not been able to control this menace and all institutions have failed in this regard," he said while speaking to The News on Thursday.

According to chief secretary, two drug prevention centres have been set up – on each in Manghopir and Malir -- and a meeting has been convened on May 30 in relation to the construction of a third cutting-edge rehabilitation centre in District South in partnership with the United Nations.

He said the Malir centre has 100 beds and the rehabilitation centre in Manghopir has 200 beds. He lamented the fact that students and young people are an easy prey for the drug mafia in locations where crystal meth and other pricey drugs are offered openly.

Dr Rajput said they have received a lot of complaints about this, and it seems that parents are just as helpless as kids. He admitted that they have not been able to disrupt the drug supply chain despite their best efforts, because even when drug dealers are captured, they are often released on bail because they are members of the powerful mafia and can afford to pay costly lawyers, who guarantee bail for them. Legislation to make drug dealing a non-bailable offence and expedite trials is in the works, he said, promising a more effective response to the problem.