PM for effective steps against drug menace

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday expressed concern over the drug menace in the society, especially among the younger generation.

He emphasized that the statistics on drugs show that the current efforts against drugs are insufficient. He observed this while chairing a meeting of the National Anti-Narcotics Council here. The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers including Communications Minister Murad Saeed, Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood, Finance Minister Shaukat Fayyaz Tarin, Information Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, Law Minister Dr Farogh Naseem, Maritime Affairs Minister Ali Haider Zaidi, Narcotics Control Minister Brigadier (retd) Ijaz Ahmad Shah, Religious Affairs Minister Noor-ul-Haq Qadri and Special Assistant to Prime Minister Dr Faisal Sultan.

Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Khalid Khursheed, Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Abdul Qayyum Niazi and ANF DG Major General Ghulam Shabir were also present.

The meeting participants agreed that federal and provincial governments must work in a systematic manner in the fight against drugs. The prime minister directed that the existing anti-narcotics laws be reviewed to deal with the drug menace so that the enforcement of these laws could be made more effective. He directed that a comprehensive strategy be formulated to effectively control the production, sale and use of drugs.

It was decided at the meeting that steps would be taken at the level of schools and colleges to discourage this scourge whereas modern technology would be used in the field of counter-narcotics. At the same time, the establishment of model treatment centres for the rehabilitation of drug addicts will be part of the strategy. It was decided that the Anti-Narcotics Force would act as a leading body for formulating a comprehensive counter-narcotics strategy and coordination among the relevant federal and provincial agencies.