Efforts Afoot To Set Up Dedicated Centers For Treatment Of Drug Addicts: Senate Body Informed

Federal Minister for Narcotics Control Brigadier (retd) Ijaz Shah on Friday informed Senate Standing Committee that the ministry was endeavoring to set up dedicated centers across the country for the treatment of drug addicts

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Jul, 2021 ) :Federal Minister for Narcotics Control Brigadier (retd) Ijaz Shah on Friday informed Senate Standing Committee that the ministry was endeavoring to set up dedicated centers across the country for the treatment of drug addicts.

The committee meeting was held here at Parliament House under the chairmanship of Senator Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry.

While briefing Senate Standing Committee on Ministry of Narcotics Control about the responsibilities and performance of his ministry, he said a drug addict should be treated as a sick person instead of a criminal.

The minister further said drug prevention was a very important issue because well being of future generations was at stake.

He said that Anti-Narcotics Control agency has about 4,000 employees and with these limited resources they were trying to control narcotics throughout the country.

He added that the anti-narcotics force was conducting intelligence based operations (IBOs) across the country.

Brigadier (retd) Ejaz Shah said after 9/11, the global attention has shifted from narcotics control to counter-terrorism, which has severely affected influx of international funding.

"Drugs were more deadly than weapons and the chairman of the committee was requested to become our voice for requisition for adequate funding from federal government," said Minister for Narcotics Control.

The Federal Minister further said a separate anti-narcotics law has been passed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government which was in conflict with the Federal Anti-Narcotics Act. He said chief minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been contacted multiple times but to no avail and no significant progress was being made on the issue.

Taking serious note of this, the chairman of the committee directed that the matter should be resolved as soon as possible by mutual consent in consultation with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.

Special invitee Senator Zarqa Taimoor Suhrawardy said drug free zones should be established in educational institutions across the country on the pattern of Government College Lahore.

She said an effective anti-drug legislation should be enacted and integrated planning should be formulated, adding that the role of civil society was very important. People involved in drug trafficking should be booked under the law to create deterrence for future generations.

The Secretary, Ministry of Narcotics Control briefed the committee in detail on the steps taken by the Ministry. He informed the committee that an awareness campaign has been launched in schools, colleges and universities to provide essential information to the students about the harmful effects of narcotics.

He said that awareness walks and other activities were being organized.

The Secretary, Ministry of Narcotics control also showed the committee members various videos used in the awareness campaign.

In the meeting Ministry of Narcotics Control gave a detailed briefing on the organizational structure of the Narcotics control agency and the affairs of the officers of the Ministry, as well as the induction of fresh employees in the Anti-Narcotics Force at various levels.

Chairman Committee Senator Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry thanked all the members, Federal Minister for Counter Narcotics Brigadier (retd) Ijaz Shah, Parliamentary Secretary for Counter Narcotics Sheikh Rashid Shafiq and reiterated his commitment to work together for the prevention of drug abuse.

The Secretary, Ministry of Narcotics Control apprised the committee that in 2001, the United Nations had declared Pakistan a poppy-free country.

According to a 2013 survey, 6.4 million people in Pakistan were found to be addicted to drugs and according to a UN survey conducted in 2020, there are about nine million drug addicts in Pakistan.

At today's meeting of the committee, the chairman of the committee said most people were inclined to use drugs through cigarettes.

"We cannot back down in the face of such social evils and will try to eradicate the scourge of drugs." he said.

The chairman of the committee further said that he would seek the help of NGOs on this issue through which steps would be taken to identify and treat people affected by drug addiction.

He said drug addiction treatment and rehabilitation would also be covered in Sehat Sahulat health cards and financial assistance for treatment through the Ehsaas program.

Chairman Committee Senator Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry said for prevention he would talk to the President for an awareness campaign on harmful effects of drug abuse and through the use of religious platforms such as mosques and by engaging religious scholars, awareness regarding drug abuse would be created among people.

Senator Dost Mohammad Khan, Falak Naz, Mohammad Ayub, Rana Maqbool Ahmed, Atta-ur-Rehman, Shahadat Awan, Anwar Lal Din, Jam Mehtab Hussain Dahar, Naseebullah Bazai besides Federal Minister for Counter Narcotics Brigadier (retd) Ijaz shah, Parliamentary Secretary for Narcotics Control Sheikh Rashid Shafiq and Senior officials of the Ministry of Narcotics control also attended the meeting.