‘Drugs easily accessible to prepubescent children’

Islamabad:Participants of a discussion on Tuesday highlighted the need for creating awareness among people from a young age against the use of drugs complaining that the narcotic substances are easily accessible to prepubescent children.

They urged the government and other stakeholders to join hands for drug control and prevention. The event titled ‘Early Drug Prevention Strategies: The Future of Youth’ was hosted by the Karim Khan Afridi Welfare Foundation and the Jordan Anti-Drugs Society with the collaboration of the Serena Hotels. Senior journalist Syed Talat Hussain and former technical adviser to the education ministry Dr. Ayesha Razzaque moderated the event. Founder and chairperson of the Karim Khan Afridi Welfare Foundation Pakistan Cristina von Sperling Afridi complained that the use of drugs was growing among the youth.

She said the KKAWF was working to create awareness among youth of the harmful effects of narcotics on their health. The first session of the event focused on early drug prevention strategies. President of the Jordan Anti-Drug Society Dr. Mousa Daoud Al-Tarefi was the keynote speaker on the occasion, while the panellists included former federal secretary for narcotics control Syed Kaleem Imam, Education Parliamentary Caucus coordinator Senator Sana Jamali, and Mrs Afridi.

The second session was about the “drug use prevention, awareness, and education – learning from civil society and youth.” With former education ministry adviser Dr Ayesha Razzaque acting as the moderator, the panel comprised Pakistan Boy Scouts Association chief commissioner Sarfraz Qamar Daha, educational consultant at the KKAWF Lubna Ghani Hayauddin, and experts Wajahat Ali and Adnan Malik. At an open mic session, the participants urged parents and educators to adopt innovative ways to create a drug-free environment for future generations. The organisers said the presence of psychologists, educators, anti-addiction specialists, law enforcement professionals, and community leaders provided valuable insights and practical strategies to tackle the issue effectively.

They said the community was as involved in the initiative as the stakeholders. The organisers said the event was hosted under the Public Diplomacy Initiative of the Serena Hotels, a corporate social responsibility initiative meant to discuss and create awareness of unaddressed societal issues.