Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Narcotics Control led by Senator Lt. Gen (Rtd) Abdul Qayyum held a meeting on Wednesday at COMSATS University Islamabad. The committee was welcomed to the Islamabad Campus by Executive Director COMSATS, Dr. S. M. Junaid Zaidi, Dr. Shahid A. Khan, Dean Faculty of Engineering and Dr. Junaid Mughal. The Committee members Deputy Secretary Zarghoona Shabbir, Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) Force Commander, Brig Syed Mubbashir Hassan Kazmi, representative, Higher Education Commission (HEC) were also in attendance.

Dr. Shahid A. Khan, Dean Faculty of Engineering, CUI presented the brief History key insights into the future planning and development of the university at the forum. He also informed the committee about the University being a Smoke free campus and a wellness center has also been established on the premises to deal with stress and matters related to Drugs as well.

Senator Lt. Gen (Rtd) Abdul Qayyum chaired the meeting in which detailed discussion was held on the research on stopping the sale of narcotics in educational institutions. He called for collective efforts as a community to deal with the problem of drug menace. The meeting discussed concrete steps to be taken in order to prevent the usage of drugs among the youth in universities across Pakistan. The committee decided to visit public and private sector universities to educate the students about the far reaching consequences of the drug use in a friendly atmosphere. The committee directed Higher education Commission, Anti-Narcotics Force and other relevant departments to hold seminars, lectures for educating people about the dangers of drugs use.

Senator Qayyum, Convener Sub Committee stressed on the engagement of the youth in drug preventive measures to discuss the steps being taken to curtail drugs on campuses. The committee also conveyed that legislation shall be made exclusively on the prevention of drugs in educational institutions.

An interactive session was also held at the Seminar Hall of the Campus with the Faculty and the Students of COMSATS University Islamabad Campus to discuss the issue of drug abuse and to understand the perspectives of the students and faculty members. In his address to the faculty and the students, he highlighted that youth was the wealth of any nation and can play a significant part in the reduction of the menace currently faced by the nation. A question and Answer was followed by the address where the faculty and students made suggestions to the committee for getting rid of the drugs. Dr. Shahid Ahmad Khan said vote of thanks with the hope that such awareness sessions should be held from time to time for betterment of the young generation.