Joint efforts stressed to fight ice addiction, deforestation

MANSEHRA: Speakers at a seminar here on Wednesday asked all segments of society to play a role in bringing an end to ice (methamphetamine) addiction at the educational institutions and deforestation.

“Though the private education sector plays an important role in enhancing literacy rate in the country, it should also equally focus on grooming students to face every situation instead of only giving them good grades in exams,” Deputy Commissioner Aurangzeb Haider Khan told the participants of the seminar on “Role and Responsibility as a Citizen of Pakistan” at Mansehra Public School.

The speakers discussed the use of ice at educational institutions, deforestation, the role of students in community development as effective citizens, governance system, education and democracy, responsibilities of the district administration and media role in society. The deputy commissioner said he foresees that soon, major tasks that are now in the domain of government would be executed through a public-private partnership. Umar Gul Khan said that students, who were future of the country, should be equipped with knowledge instead of preparing them only for examinations.

Khadija Yousuf said that large-scale deforestation in Hazara was one of the major causes in environmental issues and disease in the division. Sunniya Sitwat and Mohammad Anis, from the United Nations Development Program, said that students could play an important role in the dissemination of positive trends in society. “The biodiversity is a must for existence on the earth but hunting and deforestation cause extinction of endangered species,” said Anis.