Drug use on the rise in educational institutions, says Sindh Education Minister

KARACHI: Sindh Education Minister Sardar Shah has divulged that students of private and government educational institutions are involved in drugs.

The Sindh Chief Minister’s Spokesperson said that Federal Minister for Counter Narcotics Nawabzada Shah Zain Bugti had a meeting with Murad Ali Shah which was attended by the concerned officers of the Federal and Provincial Governments.

The meeting was attended by Brigadier Waqar Haider, Force Commander, Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), Major Muhammad Ali, ANF, Abdul Salam Khetran on behalf of the Federal Government, Sindh Minister for Education Sardar Shah, Minister for Counter Narcotics Mukesh Chawla, Information Minister Sharjeel Memon, Legal Adviser Murtaza Wahab, and Special Secretary Rahim Sheikh, IG Jail Qazi Nazir and other concerned officers.

During the meeting, Murad Ali Shah said that we had held a meeting of the apex committee two days ago, decisions were taken in the meeting for the prevention of drugs, and the provincial government is working to prevent drugs in educational institutions.

Read more: LHC forms body to curb drugs’ sale in educational institutions

He said the drugs would be effectively precluded if the federal government tightened the borders.

Federal Minister Shahzain Bugti told the meeting that the government is taking strict measures to curb narcotics and increase surveillance at inter-provincial and international borders.

The meeting agreed to set up rehabilitation units for drug addicts in jails and hospitals.

Giving a briefing in the meeting, Additional IG Karachi said that drugs and crime are interlinked, and most the street criminals are addicted to drugs.

He said that most of the people in the province also use different types of drugs, the drugs being used include cannabis, hemp, heroin, cocaine crack, amphetamines, crystal/ice and others.

According to a Sindh government spokesman, the meeting was told that drugs come from different parts of Balochistan.

First route: Drugs reach Karachi via Qambar, Larkana, Dadu, Jamshoro.

Second route: Drugs reach Karachi from Quetta, Sorab, Khuzdar, Wadh, Othel, Gadani, Hub in Balochistan.

Third route: Drugs reach Karachi from Punjab via Kashmore, Shikarpur, Larkana, Dadu and Jamshoro.

Fourth route: Sadiqabad from Punjab reaches Karachi from Panu Aqil, Sukkur, Khairpur, Hyderabad, Thatta.

Karachi (May 16th, 2022) Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Federal Minister for Narcotics Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti along with their respective teams discuss ways and means to control narcotics smuggling and paddling in Karachi at CM House. pic.twitter.com/ovg3etqw1i

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— Sindh Chief Minister House (@SindhCMHouse) May 16, 2022

Decision to set up a Narcotics Task Force

It was decided at the meeting that ANF, police and excise would jointly crackdown on the drug mafia, while a mechanism has been set up to enhance liaison between police, ANF and excise.

The meeting also decided to launch an awareness campaign in educational institutions and is also considering taking the drug case to a separate court.

The meeting also decided to have a separate special prosecutor for drugs.

Read more: ANF arrests drug peddler supplying narcotics to students

According to Sindh Chief Minister’s Spokesperson, the meeting decided to set up a Narcotics Task Force.

The task force will be headed by the Sindh Chief Minister and the Federal Minister for Drug Control and will meet monthly.

A committee comprising ANF, Excise Department, Education Department and Police has been set up. The committee will continue to hold joint meetings and the operation will continue.

According to the spokesperson of the Sindh government, it has been decided to follow up the cases of drug trafficking and drug dealers through the best lawyers in the courts, besides setting up drug rehabilitation centres.