Minister for Narcotics Control Shehryar Khan Afridi said on Wednesday that the federal government would soon launch a war against illicit drugs.
The minister was addressing the participants of a seminar held to mark the International Day Against Drugs Abuse.
Ministry of Narcotics Control Secretary Muhammad Amjad Saleemi, Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) Director-General Maj General Arif Malik, diplomats, media personnel, and people from academia were also present on the occasion.
Addressing the participants, Minister Shehryar Afridi said that it was unfortunate to note that the past regime didn’t take serious steps to eradicate illicit business of drugs.
He said due to ignorant policies, our youth had fallen victim to the menace of drugs. He said the Ministry of Narcotics Control would consult domestic and international stakeholders to rid the country of the menaces of drug.
The minister said that Pakistan would adopt successful models of the world on eradication of drug menace, employing modern research and technology tools to help block the movement of drugs. He said the government would also introduce institutional reforms besides launching public awareness to curtail the drug abuse.
He said that the government would launch a crackdown against drug barons while any official found complicit would be also be taken to task.
Shehryar Afridi said that on the other hand, the government would also focus on the rehabilitation of drug victims and would also involve them in sports and other healthy activities, integrating them with mainstream society.
“Pakistan is a blessed country today whose 65 percent population consists of youth. The government will focus on transformation of our youth. We will focus on skill-building of youngsters so as they could be transformed into productive citizens,” said the minister.
He urged the public to help launch crackdown against those involved in drugs business and pass on information to the ANF, Ministry of Narcotics Control and also lodge complaints at the Prime Minister’s Portal so that strict action could be taken against the drug mafia.
“Please think of those helpless parents whose young lads fall victim to drugs. We have to support the government institutions to help launch crackdown against drug mafia and save our future generations,” he added.
Lauding the performance of security forces and ANF, Shehryar Afridi said that despite scarce facilities and shortage of human resources, Pakistan’s performance against drugs was exemplary and the world needs to acknowledge its effort to nail down drug mafia.
Afridi said that the international community should also help Pakistan in eradication of menace of drugs as saving a life is saving the entire humanity. The minister said that Pakistan government was employing modern equipment and innovative ideas in its war on drugs.
Shehryar Afridi said the government was preparing would draft a new law to effectively nab those involved in drugs business and urged the people to monitor activities of their young kids and avoid building pressure for better grades over their children so that youth could be saved from drugs addiction.
