The curse

If any nation wishes to accelerate its downfall, the surest way is to abandon its youth. Tragically, Pakistan seems to be doing just that. A grim revelation during a recent Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights meeting laid bare the rot eating away at our future: around 17 million students – aged between 18 and 31 – are addicted to drugs. This is a national crisis. This figure, disclosed by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), is shocking but sadly not new. Each year, similar statistics are aired, discussed briefly, and then forgotten until the next hearing or tragedy forces another hand-wringing session. The indifference to the epidemic of substance abuse in educational institutions is not only a failure of governance but a betrayal of an entire generation. Take, for example, the horrifying murder of a young man in Karachi by friends allegedly under the influence of drugs. Or the 2023 case of a Bahawalpur university’s chief security officer being caught with crystal meth. That incident made headlines but led to no systemic overhaul. Where there should have been alarm bells ringing across government corridors, there was silence.

Now, the Senate committee, chaired by Senator Irfanul Haque Siddiqui, has finally called for enhanced child protection and drug-free schools. It's a step in the right direction but must be matched with consistent, long-term action. Mere statements or token crackdowns will not suffice. One major reason drugs have become commonplace in schools and universities is their easy availability. Street corners, playgrounds and even residential areas have become informal drug dens. But availability is only one part of the problem. For many young people, drugs offer an adrenaline rush, a way to rebel or escape. Some fall into addiction, seeking temporary relief from mental health issues, others because of peer pressure or the toxic need to fit in.

This is where the education system must step in. Schools and universities must have trained counsellors – professionals who understand adolescent psychology and can guide students through life’s many pressures. Mental health support should no longer be treated as an optional extra but as an essential service. Students need to hear that their worth isn’t tied to mimicking their peers or numbing their pain through substance abuse. This is a heath issue, yes but it is also a national security issue, an economic issue and a moral one. A country with a predominantly young population cannot afford to let its youth wither away in a fog of addiction. We must treat this crisis with the urgency it deserves. Pakistan needs a comprehensive, rights-based, long-term framework to tackle student drug abuse – one that includes education, mental health support, law enforcement, community engagement and public awareness. Piecemeal measures and reactive policies won’t save our children. Only an honest, sustained and united national effort will.