Mahira Khan, a famous actress, spent World Mental Health Day (10 October) at the Alleviate Addiction Suffering (AAS) treatment facility to raise awareness and fight the stigma and shame associated with mental illness.

The Hum Kahan Kay Sachy Thay actress listened to young children’s heartbreaking stories of how their addictions developed and how they battled them.

She posted a few pictures from her trip along with an emotional statement, “I spent a whole day at the AAS rehabilitation center for children as well as the all female facility. The stories I heard were heartcrushing.. ..
I can’t forget this one boy who had been taking heroin because of his brother – who used to sell drugs. This little innocent boy.. same age as my baby boy.. I could see the trauma in his eyes.
I will never forget the girl who hugged me and cried.. helplessly.. she was also a recovering heroin addict who had been gang raped mercilessly. I couldn’t help but cry with her. I am still so angry that she went through that. It makes my blood boil that those men are roaming around free!!”

“There are countless children, women and men suffering in our countries. Battling addiction, battling abuse of all kinds..”