Govt committed to make Pakistan drug free: Shehryar Afridi

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Narcotics Control Shehryar Khan Afridi on Friday said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led government was committed to make Pakistan a narcotics free state.

Addressing a meeting of owners of private and elite schools in Islamabad, Afridi said school owners need to employ best practices of drugs control in educational institutions, Radio Pakistan stated.

The minister said private schools should invest in developing rehabilitation centers for treatment of addicts of their schools under corporate social responsibility.

He said, “Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) has developed its own rehabilitation centres in Islamabad, Karachi and Sukkur.”

Afridi said government was consulting with private and public sector educational institutions to ensure drug screening of students, faculty members and staff.

Earlier on June 26, Minister of State for Narcotics Control Shehryar Afridi had said that the government would bring a legislation to check use of narcotics in educational institutions.

Addressing the launch ceremony of World Drug Report 2019 in Islamabad, Afridi had regretted that use of drugs had increased in educational institutions and added that it was the responsibility of parents and teachers to keep a check on the students.

The minister had said, “Pakistan is fighting against the menace of narcotics which is haunting the globe and initiatives taken by Pakistan to this effect have worldwide recognition.”