Home dept to form committee to assist schools, colleges in fighting use of drugs

The Sindh Home Department has decided to form a committee of MPAs and police officers to liaise with private schools and colleges for drug prevention.

The decision was taken during a high-level meeting, which was chaired by Faryal Talpur, chairperson of the Standing Committee on Home.

Officials said that during the meeting, the committee’s agenda items were discussed. Topics included the sale of drugs online, drug use in schools, crackdown on terrorists, prevention of opium cultivation, and stopping the sale of chemically contaminated milk. Further instructions were issued during the discussions.

Chairperson Standing Committee Faryal Talpur inquired about police performance in the fight against drugs. She issued directives to ensure a comprehensive and organized province-wide crackdown on drug mafias and demanded data on conviction rates in drug-related cases. She emphasized her focus on exemplary punishments for arrested drug mafias.

On the occasion, Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar stated that drug mafias not only make society a hub for crimes but also foster future criminal behaviour. Therefore, drug mafias will not be spared, and it is imperative to take effective and successful measures to bring them to justice.

Representing the Sindh IGP, Additional IG Karachi Javed Alam Odho informed the meeting that in the past three months, 28 cases were registered across the province against drug mafias, leading to the arrest of 33 suspects. During the same period, 83 FIRs were registered for drug supply in schools, resulting in 81 arrests.

Via video link, Sindh IGP Ghulam Nabi Memon stated that a coordinated action against drug mafias is his main objective. Senior supervisory officers from districts, zones, and police ranges are regularly instructed through meetings.

He emphasized that the eradication of crime in any form is the police’s top priority. Chairperson Faryal Talpur instructed that all SSPs be mandated to submit review reports regarding actions against drug mafias. She also directed that for effective checks and balances, steps should be taken to digitize food delivery services at the provincial level. Furthermore, a report should be submitted on how drugs reach private schools and educational institutions and through which means they are supplied.

She ordered the CIA DIG Karachi to devise a strategy in coordination with the administrators of educational institutions to ensure the complete prevention of drug distribution. Home Minister Lanjar highlighted that Faryal Talpur has been making serious efforts against drug mafias for the past three years. He announced the formation of a committee comprising MPAs and police officers to establish connections with private schools and colleges.

CTD DIG Asif Ijaz Sheikh reported that this year, 39 terrorists from banned organizations were arrested, while four were killed in police encounters. Faryal Talpur directed that decisive action be taken to prevent opium cultivation in the province. She also ordered coordinated measures by the Karachi mayor and the additional IG against the main dealers of chemically-laced milk. She emphasized that a compliance report on the directives regarding action against the sale of chemically-laced milk should be presented in the next meeting.

The meeting was attended by members of the provincial assembly and committee, including Saima Agha, Sohail Anwar Siyal, Sham Sundar, Sadia Javed, Khurram Kareem Soomro, Muhammad Qasim, Muhammad Farooq, Sajjad Ali, Shariq Jamal, as well as MPA Barrister Shiraz Shoukat, Barrister Murtaza Wahab, the additional chief secretary, secretary law, all DIGs of Sindh, and district SSPs.