Blind corner of parks must be checked, suspicious people at parks and shrines should be monitored.
ISLAMABAD: It is no longer a surprise to witness groups of men with drugs and needles in a park. In fact, this scenario is encountered quite frequently, which begs the question: where are the maintenance authorities? Public places are turning into hot spots for addicts and drug dealings and families are facing increased risks of coming in contact with these vagabonds.
Of late, the turnout has greatly reduced in the local parks and shrines in Punjab. A few examples to name are Qasim Park and Shah Shams Park in Multan, Gutwala Park and Jinnah Park in Faisalabad and gardens at shrines all around the country. Awareness programmess and TV shows have highlighted this issue on and off. The situation is such that the youth is getting involved in these unethical activities. Children who visit parks to play are subjected to physical assaults.
Authorities should take steps in order to protect the nation’s future. They should increase security at the parks, ensure proper checking of the visitors and maintenance staff and use trained security dogs to sniff out drug addicts. Moreover, blind corner of parks must be checked, suspicious people at parks and shrines should be monitored and cleanliness of the surrounding areas should be ensured.
The government had taken some steps in this regard in the recent past but still there is a long way to go.
Fabiha Aziz & Hunza Hayat
Published in The Express Tribune, December 19th, 2013.
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