Stringent measures needed to make Islamabad ‘drug-free city’

Islamabad : A high level meeting held in the Ministry of Narcotics Control held Friday discussed the ever alarming situation of narcotics and drugs use, especially by young students in the educational institutions and the measures to bring the situation under control.

The startling revelation of young students falling prey to drug abuse in the educational institutions in the federal capital was made by the Minister of State for Interior recently which made everybody nervous, particularly the parents.

The meeting chaired by Secretary Arif Nawaz Khan, discussed the prevailing existing situation of drug usage in educational institutions of Islamabad and devised a robust mechanism to discourage the alarming trend of drug use amongst students and curb menace of drugs.

The Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Narcotics Control, Sabino Sikanadar Jalal briefed the participants about the ongoing efforts of the Ministry of Narcotics Control towards drug demand reduction. It was told that the Ministry and its attached department, the ANF, are striving hard to cleanse the society from menace of drugs.

However, the meeting observed that the role of Islamabad Police and the ICT Administration was vital to achieve the objective and eliminate the menace of drugs from the educational institutions of the federal capital.

The Chief Commissioner and the IGP Islamabad informed the meeting about the measures both departments have already put in place respectively to control and eventually eliminate the menace of drugs penetrating into the educational institutions.

They have also shared that some of the leading private schools have also expressed their interest to work alongside the ICT administration to make the educational institutions safer for the students. The meeting also acknowledged the efforts being made by the ANF towards reducing drugs supply.

The Secretary MNC emphasized that in light of the particular concerns and directions of the Prime Minister of Pakistan to make Islamabad a drug free and model city, all the stakeholders must

make joint and result oriented efforts instead of isolated ones to make a clearly visible difference.

He requested the participants to devise a wholesome strategy on war footing so that it could be implemented in letter and spirit to achieve the objectives of making Islamabad a model city at initial stage.

Today’s meeting was chaired by the Secretary, Ministry of Narcotics Control, Arif Nawaz Khan, and was attended by the Director-General Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), Maj Gen. Muhammad Arif Malik, the Chief Commissioner Islamabad, Amer Ali Ahmad, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Islamabad, Muhammad Aamir Zulfiqar Khan, the Force Commander North of the ANF, Brig. Mubashir, the SSP (Operations) of ICT Police, Waqar Ud Din Syed and other officers of Ministry.