Drug Rehabilitation Drive Motivates Chronic Addicts Towards Beginning Of New Life

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Jul, 2022 ) :`Say no to drugs, Say yes to life', was the message conveyed by more than two dozen chronic addicts getting treatment at a detoxification centre here as part of initiative taken by District Government of Peshawar to rehabilitate people hooked on drugs including heroin, ice and others.

"We want to convey to the people that life is very precious, it cannot be wasted by indulging one self into drug addiction," said addicts during a ceremony held for encouragement of people benefitting from the initiative taken by the district government of Peshawar.

The chief guest of the ceremony held after completion of one month of treatment was Commissioner Peshawar Division, Riaz Mehsud. Whereas, Deputy Commissioner Peshawar, Shaifiullah Khan, Secretary Social Welfare KP, Nasita Mohsin and other officials were also present on the occasion.

Stage secretary of the ceremony, Imran Khan apprised participants that he was also a drug addict and was now running two tailoring shops in Ramdaz bazar and Mattani area after getting treatment at Faqirabad Rehabilitation center.

More than two dozen drug addicts are admitted at Rehabilitation Center of Peshawar run by Social Welfare Department at Faqirabad area and within 30 days of treatment are showing very positive signs of recovery towards normalcy.

While speaking on the occasion, Commissioner PD Riaz Mehsud said the drive for rehabilitating drug addicts was launched on the directives of Chief Minister KP, Mahmood Khan.

The rehabilitation drive titled as `Drug Free Peshawar', was providing treatment to around 1,300 drug addicts in eight centres of the province, he added.

Among 1,300 addicts around sixteen were females who were also getting proper treatment and would recover soon, the Commissioner informed the participants.

He also disclosed that blood tests of the addicts indicated around 44 of them were infected with deadly HIV Aids and had been sent to Islamabad at Zindagi (life) NGO for treatment purpose.

The Drug Free Peshawar drive is also providing support to Afghan drug addicts who are getting equal treatment.

At the rehabilitation centres, the addicts were getting medical treatment, physical exercise, psychiatric counseling, religious teaching and music as well, he continued.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, Riaz added, had allocated an amount of Rs. 100 million for treatment of drug addicts and making Peshawar free from drugs. "We are paying around Rs. 25,000 per addict per month to private rehabilitation centres where they are admitted for treatment".

On success of pilot project of drug rehabilitation, it would be gradually extended to other districts of the province, Commissioner Peshawar announced.

For this purpose, he went on to say, an amount of Rs. 300 million had been reserved in the news budget by the provincial government.

Riaz Mehsud expressed the hope that on basis of its success, the project would serve as role model for replication in other provinces of the country. He also told the instructors that he would personally visit one centre every day to monitor the outcome of the initiative and progress of the treatment.

The drug addicts were found very optimistic about their return to normalcy after completion of three months treatment.

Sexagenarian Gulab Khan from Mohmand District told APP that he was using drugs for the last 40 years and was of the belief that would die because of intoxication.

However, luckily he got admission at the rehabilitation center and has stopped taking any drugs which is a very positive development for him and his family.

Expressing remorse over his past life, Gulab Khan expressed the hope after the completion of treatment, he would start a new life along with his family who were neglected by him.