Minister vows to root out menace of drugs

Federal Minister for Narcotics Control Brig (retd) Ijaz Ahmad Shah on Wednesday vowed to root out the menace of drugs from the country.

In a meeting with United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Country Representative Jeremy Milsom at the Ministry of Narcotics, Shah maintained that the government primarily focused on crackdowns against the drug dealers.

“We certainly cannot let our youth fall victim to this menace,” he said, adding that the treatment and rehabilitation of the victims was the government’s top priority.

Shah asserted that the government would continue its endeavours to eliminate the menace of drugs from society.

"Just like global world, Pakistan is trying its best to get rid of this threat," the federal minister observed and appreciated the role of UNODC in the drug eradication process.

The UNODC representative briefed the minister about the functioning and operations of the organisation.

Milsom appreciated the interests of the government and stated that the UNODC third country plan would commence from 2021 while observing that the previous two had been fruitful.

He assured Shah of the UNODC’s full cooperation in the government’s efforts to counter the menace of drugs.

The meeting concluded with a pledge to work together for the purpose and make Pakistan a drug-free society.

With input from DNA