ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stressed that eliminating the scourge of drug abuse required creation of awareness, strengthening of anti-narcotics laws, investing in prevention and treatment and engaging communities.

“We also need to educate our youth about the harmful impacts of drug abuse to save them from this menace.

Additionally, we should divert the energies of our youth into healthy and productive activities. The future of our young generation lies in our hands,” the president said in a message on the occasion of ‘International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking’ being observed on June 26.

Today, the president said they commemorated the international day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking under the theme “The evidence is clear: invest in prevention.”

The day highlighted the urgency of taking concrete steps to eliminate the scourge of drugs from the society by intensifying efforts to prevent drug abuse and trafficking in Pakistan, he added.

“Drug production and illicit trafficking not only immensely harm our youth and their families, but are also a potential source of financing for criminal and terrorist elements,” he observed.

President Zardari further said that addressing the root causes of drug abuse required an integrated approach involving all stakeholders, including law enforcement agencies (LEAs), media, civil society, parents and teachers.

On the other hand, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif calling the menace of drug abuse a global concern unconfined by territorial boundaries plaguing the society with associated crime and violence, said that the Government of Pakistan placed utmost priority on addressing the issue of drug abuse and taking effective measures to combat illicit trafficking.

The prime minister said that through collaborative efforts, Pakistan reaffirmed its strong determination to curb and eradicate the distribution of narcotics and banned substances, which posed a grave threat to the well-being of the society.

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Meanwhile , Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control Mohsin Naqvi stated that the fight against drug abuse and trafficking cannot be fruitful unless we all as a nation put our combined efforts behind this noble cause to make Pakistan a healthy society free of drugs.