IHC moved against use of drugs in educational institutions

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad HighCourt (IHC) on Wednesday has issued notices to secretary interior, secretary education and health on petition against the use of drugs in the educational institutions of federal capital and directed to submit their reply within two weeks.

Justice Aamir Farooq took the petition filed by a private institute Lucky Foundation against the use of drugs in schools and colleges of federal capital. Petition states that few months back former minister of state for interior Shehryar Khan Afridi stated in a ceremony that 75% of female students and 45% male students, including those from well-known educational institutions, had been found to be taking the drug.

He stated that large numbers of students in Islamabad were taking crystal methamphetamine, also called ice. It is a drug which consists of colorless crystals of varying sizes and shapes that are used by smoking, insufflations and injecting into one’s body.

Petition further states that during the meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior, in October 2016 Chairperson, South Asian Strategic Stability Institute Dr Maria Sultan claimed a survey of 44 educational institutions, including some public sector schools had shown that 43 to 53% students at elite schools were addicted to drugs. She had told the Senate committee that the students were using heroin, hashish, opium and ecstasy tablets. The IHC issued notices to secretary interior, secretary education and secretary health.