CM KP launches 3rd phase of drugs free Peshawar
PESHAWAR (APP): Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, on Wednesday launched the third phase of the “Drug-Free Peshawar” program, under which 2,000 drug-addicts would be rehabilitated.
The provincial government has released substantial funds of Rs. 320 million for this purpose. Under this program, individuals suffering from drug addiction will be shifted to rehabilitation centers, where they would be provided with quality treatment and facilities.
Additionally, an extensive awareness campaign has also been launched in educational institutions aimed at educating the young generation about the devastating consequences of drugs addiction. As part of this awareness campaign, a seminar and awareness walk were held on Wednesday at the University of Peshawar, led by the Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur himself. Provincial cabinet members Syed Qasim Ali Shah, Muzammil Aslam, members of the National and Provincial Assemblies, government officials, heads of provincial universities, faculty members, religious scholars, and a large number of students attended the seminar.
Addressing the seminar, the Chief Minister emphasized the provincial government’s zero-tolerance policy against drugs abuse, stating that ‘relevant departments and institutions have been directed to intensify actions against those involved in drug trafficking’.
He urged the concerned departments to target the “big fish” and make them an example, regardless of their influence. He added that drug trafficking is a heinous crime deserving the strictest punishment.
“The aim of the whole this efforts is to make the provincial capital drug-free and to rehabilitate drug-addicted individuals, helping them to reintegrate into normal life”, he remarked and added that control rooms have also been established in both the Deputy Commissioner’s Office and the Chief Minister’s Secretariat to ensure that the program is implemented in an efficient and result oriented manner.
The Chief Minister outlined that in the first two phases of the program, 2,400 drug-addicted individuals were rehabilitated, including residents from Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and even neighboring Afghanistan. He reiterated that the program will continue similarly in the future, providing treatment to everyone without discrimination.
He also directed all other divisional commissioners to compile data on drug-addicts in their respective divisions; the provincial government will take steps for their rehabilitation as well.
The Chief Minister pledged to make the province drug-free and to rehabilitate addicted individuals, aiming to transform them into valuable assets instead of burdens. He maintained that work on the Whistleblower Act is also in progress to combat corruption, which includes awarding a specific share to individuals providing information about undisclosed properties.
He termed the public as the government’s team and added that the government cannot progress without their support. A special portal has been created to register public complaints and ensure their resolution. Citizens are encouraged to submit their complaints on the Citizen Portal, proper action will be taken to address them, he said.
The Chief Minister urged religious scholars, teachers, civil society, media, and public representatives to play their part in making this mission of the provincial government a success story.
