DRUGS useage BY YOUTH IN SCHOOLS, COLLEGES

IHC expresses resentment, asks ministry of interior to submit reply

Islamabad

Justice Aamer Farooq of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) here Wednesday directed secretary ministry of interior to submit reply within 10 days time in a petition against usage of drugs by the youth in Islamabad’s schools and colleges.

IHC bench while expressing resentment over non submission of reply in compliance with the court’s previous orders said that if secretary interior did not replied within 10 days the court would be constrained to summon him in person.

Petitioner in person Raja Saim ul Haq Satti advocate contended before the court that the respondent has not submitted their reply despite issuance of notices to them.

In his petition, petitioner has referred to a study survey by the director general (DG) South Asian Strategic Stability Institute (SASSI) Dr Maria Sultan according to which 44 educational institutions, including public and private sector “nearly 44 to 53 per cent of pupils were taking either artificial or hard drugs or were addicted to heroin, in the age groups 12-16 and 16-19. In public sector schools, 7 to 8pc of students over the age of 16 at model colleges were addicts, while only 1 to 2pc of students at public sector schools were addicts. Pupils use drugs during study hours, while they also include some students as young as eight-year-olds. At some schools the intoxicants are available at canteens, while addicts also get them easily from street vendors. –where students from privileged backgrounds are studying– were addicts using heroin, hashish, opium and ecstasy tablets”.

Petitioner has cited secretary Cabinet Division, Ministry of Interior & Narcotics Control through Federal Secretary for Narcotics Control Division, Federal minister for Capital Administration and Development Division, Principal Officer Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control, Dr Maria Sultan, Director General South Asia Strategic Stability Institute (SASSI), Principal officer Federal Directorate of Education (FDE), President of the Private School Association Zofran Elhai, Chairman Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Chairman Higher Education Commission and Inspector General (IG) Islamabad as respondents.

Petitioner adopted that under the law state is responsible for conducive and favourable educational environment for all the students from school to university. Legislation in this respect explain at one hand the state responsibilities while on others it makes incumbent upon the managements of educational institutions and those who are at helm of the affairs that if the parents send their children for getting education than they must be imparted with education instead of making them a drug addicts.

Petitioner said that few months back media reports shocked everyone beyond belief when an NGO report claimed that 53 per cent students at elite private schools are drug addicts, based on the findings of a survey of mere 44 institutions but the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE), which looks after the affairs of public sector schools, is also unaware of how and when the surveys of public schools were conducted.

Petitioner prayed to the court to direct the law enforcement authorities to take strict legal action across the board against the senior delinquent managements of the educational institutions involved or responsible as they miserably failed to impart education to the students and busy or patronizing such abhorring heinous crimes of making students addicts for petty unlawful gains and at governmental level a senior inquiry committee be established on the issue.