Speakers at 7th National Conference against Drugs Abuse 2022 have stressed the need for community participation for eradicating the menace of drug-addiction from society, as the government alone could not overcome the problem. The conference was held with the collaboration of Civil Society Network, Ministry of Narcotics Control (MNC) and Human Rights Commission of Pakistan at National Institute of Special Education. Chief Guest Mr. Abdul Sitar Director General, Ministry of Human Rights Govt. of Pakistan Guest of Honor Syed Amjid Ali Zaidi, Speaker Gilgat Baltistan Assembly, Tahir Skindar, DSP, Punjab Police Rawalpindi, Chairman, Akmal Ovaisi Pirzada Chairman Civil Society Network Pakistan were participated the conference.

While talking to the media one of the participant, President, Association of Health  Medical organizations Malik Sajjad Anwar has viewed that though the government was taking a number of measures in this connection, every individual would have to play his role as it was a collective cause. He said that more practical steps were needed to promote such education to deal with drugs use. He reiterated that drug-users were mistreated by society, but the real criminals were those who were involved in supply of the drugs at campuses.

He said drug- users were, in fact, victims of the drug-suppliers. He said more number of people in the country were falling victim to drugs and other mental disorders due to certain reasons; however, there was a need to sensitise people about its effects on human health and treatment. He stressed the need for establishing more rehabilitation centres to treat drug victims and addicts and regretted that the country was lacking such centres.

Dr. M. Riaz Secretary General, Mr. Sibtain Raza Lodhi, National Coordinator, Raja Khalid Mehmood Vice Chairman, Dr. Iftikhar, President ICT- Islamabad, Ms. Iqra Malik, General Secretary, Islamabad, Ms. Zaib Ul Nisa Assistant Director SWTI, Rana Tariq Dupty Director SWTI All Provincial Presidents Gilgit Baltistan, AJK, Sindh, KPK, Balochistan Punjab President graced the National Conference. An anti drugs Poster Competition also arranged during the Conference.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP