Anti-drug committee formed in Punjab schools

LAHORE: The government of Punjab has formed a committee tasked with surveying schools and suggesting measures to stop use of drugs at educational institutions of the provincial capital, ARY News reported Saturday.

The committee has been asked to furnish its report in the 15 days.

According to the notification, Dr Marina Zulfikar has been appointed as chairperson of the committee. The body has been empowered to take decisions regarding awareness campaign at schools and colleges against drugs.

Read: Punjab govt announces to introduce drug testing of school students

In February, Punjab Minister for School Education Murad Raas had announced that the provincial government was going to introduce drug testing of students under the campaign against drug abuse in educational institutions.

He said the reports of the tests would be shared with parents of the students of all the public and private schools.

Murad Raas said the Punjab government along with the health department and the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) had devised a plan to execute the campaign and collect the drug tests reports.

The minister said reports of use of ice (meth) at educational institutes were received by the authorities. He said the health department officials would visit all the schools to review the situation and get affidavits from the chief executive officers (CEOs) of the district education authorities (DEAs) about making schools in their jurisdictions drug-free.