Daily Times

“The actual number of drug users among students of elite schools in the capital provided by Inspector General of Police (IGP) was much higher than I quoted last month in a statement’, said State Minister for Interior Shehryar Khan Afridi on Monday.

He was addressing a drugs awareness seminar in Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) Islamabad where all key stake holders including representatives of private schools were present. “I have neither misinterpreted nor misquoted a single word”, he claimed.

In December last year, Shehryar Afridi alleged, as per a survey conducted by Islamabad police, that 75 percent of female students and 45 percent male students were using drugs such as crystal meth.

The minister said that after the initiative taken by Supreme Court of Pakistan, a response was prepared by Attorney General which will be submitted soon to apex court, adding that the prevailing situation in elite private schools was too worse than he pointed out previously.”I assure you, we will not spare anyone in this issue wherever they existed”, he reaffirmed.

He regretted the unawareness on part of parents regarding the activities of their children seeking education in the institutions in posh areas. “Let me assure you, the commitment I am giving to youth of Pakistan that we are strengthening institutions and making Anti- Narcotics Force (ANF) well equipped”, he promised and claimed that the ANF would also be inquired about its performance over the issue after its modernization.

“The incumbent government in consultation with all key stake holders including private school owners and vice chancellors of all varsities decided to install CCTV cameras in canteens to keep check on such criminal activities”, he revealed adding that the strategies were going to be implemented at the end of this very week from Islamabad.

It is also direly needed that some laws regarding penalties for such crimes are amended so that exemplary punishments could be given to the elements involved in such crimes, he added. “After such legislation, nobody would dare involve themselves in such heinous acts”, the minister claimed. He also claimed that the drugs rehabilitations centres would be reformed.

While speaking about the illegal encroachment on QAU land, the minister said that on special directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan, anti-encroachment operation has been launched. “We took start from an influential personality to teach lesson to other land grabbers on QAU”, Interior Minister Shehryar Afridi said without quoting the name of former chairman senate and PPP senior leader Nayar Hussain Bokhari.

Published in Daily Times, January 8^th 2019.