Educational institutions become hub of drug users

Pindi police plan awareness sessions to make campuses drug-free

RAWALPINDI:

As educational institutions in Rawalpindi are increasingly becoming a major hub of drug users, police have planned awareness sessions to make campuses drug-free.

Sources said that a large number of students believed to be between the ages of 15 and 25 use drugs in campuses with impunity. According to police sources, drug traffickers sell their stuff mostly to elite schools and colleges where affordability is not a problem for the students.

The sources said that parents along with school administrations seem either oblivious or least bothered about the fact that children are getting hooked on hardcore drugs like ice, cocaine and crystal meth.

In a bid to put an end to this menace in educational institutions of Rawalpindi, police have suggested carrying out awareness sessions on campuses across the district. Lectures would be organised daily in all educational institutions about the menace of drugs, police sources said.

The mother of Mohammad Ijaz, who addicted to heroin for the past five years, told The Express Tribune that her young son underwent treatment at various rehabilitation centres only to start again once upon arrival from the rehabilitation centres.

She said that his condition was worsening with each passing day. “I request relevant institutions and police to arrest those who are destroying the future of youth by selling drugs,” she said.

The mother of 18-year-old Muhammad Junaid, also a drug addict, told The Express Tribune that her son had contracted AIDS after using a syringe with drug addicts.

She said that her son underwent treatment at the Benazir Bhutto Hospital Rawalpindi for three months but he was sent home after declaring him incurable.

She said that her son started drugs with his friends. “Suddenly, a handsome young man became a weak person and today he is on his death bed,” she said adding that a hidden mafia behind selling drugs has destroyed many houses.

She said that drugs are being sold in every nook and corner of Rawalpindi and no one is there to stop the curse. She said that “I appeal to the Anti-Narcotics Force and the police to arrest the people involved in selling drugs to save the youngsters from the menace.”

SP CIA Malik Tariq said that police the ANF and other agencies keep arresting drug traffickers but much more was needed to be done.

He said that the use of drugs especially ice, heroin, hashish and other narcotics among the youth is increasing. “We have asked educational institutions to have lectures about the danger of drugs.

The police officer said that the Rawalpindi police arrested 1,667 drug peddlers last year and recovered 1,620 grams of opium, 22,395 grams of heroin, over 63,988 grams of hashish and 7,431 litres of liquor from their possession.

He said that in the first nine months of 2022, 1,866 suspects were arrested from whom 1,500 grams of opium, 12,931 grams of heroin and 94,151 grams of hashish were recovered. He said that 735 grams of ice and 7,920 litres of alcohol were also recovered from the accused. He said that this year 79 accused have been convicted in drug trafficking cases due to the effective investigation of the police.

“We are trying to take measures to cut the supply of drugs to the city,” he said.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 13^th, 2022.