Strict law to curb drugs sale on campus, says CM

LAHORE:Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has expressed his concern over drug peddling in educational institutions and promised that strict legislation would be enacted to stop it.

Punjab Assembly Speaker Sibtain Khan called on Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi at his office and discussed legislation and other issues.

The chief minister expressed his concern over drug peddling in educational institutions and vowed that strict legislation would be enacted to stop it. The draft of the Punjab Control of Narcotic Substances Act, 2022 will be finalised soon to make it law after passing from the Punjab Assembly as soon as possible, he added. It is the joint responsibility to save the new generation from the menace of drugs, he stressed and pointed out that the foreign ambassadors, including the World Bank, have appreciated the efforts of narcotics control and offered their cooperation.

The chief minister disclosed that an autonomous agency would be established in Punjab to deal with drugs. Similarly, anti-narcotics courts and district-level anti-narcotics police stations would also be set up, he added. The owners and employees of educational institutions would also be held responsible for the sale and purchase of drugs and those assisting the sale and use of drugs would be brought under the net of the law, he concluded.

Sibtain Khan assured the chief minister of his full cooperation for the approval of Punjab Control of Narcotic Substances Act, 2022 as law.

EXPATS DONATE: President PTI Texas Rashid Bukhari presented a cheque of Rs3 million to Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi for CM Flood Relief Fund at his office. A hotel’s GM Irshad B Anjum and Shahid Butt, who came all the way from Canada, also gave the cheques for the amount announced during the telethon to the CM for the flood relief fund.

Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister appreciated the passion of expatriates to help the flood victims. With the money collected in the fund, the rehabilitation of the flood victims is going on by the provincial government, he mentioned. It is a pity that the federal government did not help the flood victims of Punjab, he regretted and cited that the federal government did not pay even a penny for the rehabilitation of the flood victims of Punjab. The behaviour of the federal government is regrettable and condemnable in every way, he added. The CM said that the passion of overseas Pakistanis, who gave money on the appeal of Imran Khan, is appreciable as billions of rupees have been collected on his appeal. Expatriates have proved on every occasion that they are loyal to Imran Khan. Opponents only make up words while Imran Khan shows by doing, he maintained. Pervaiz Elahi said the provincial government was fulfilling the responsibility of rehabilitation of all flood victims with its resources and donations from philanthropists and overseas Pakistanis. I took the lead to visit Rajanpur, Taunsa and DG Khan to inspect the flood-affected areas there, he concluded.

Rashid Bukhari said that all are duty-bound to help the needy while Shahid Butt stated that CM Pervaiz Elahi was rendering valuable services to the flood victims. Former principal secretary GM Sikandar was also present.