Chitral Times Report
PESHAWAR: Federal Minister for Narcotics Control Brig (Retd) Ijaz Shah called on the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan at his office here on Wednesday and discussed with him various matters related to Narcotics Control in the province. Both the leaders agreed to have close liaison amongst the relevant federal and provincial agencies to effectively deal with the menace of drugs and it was decided to constitute a committee at provincial level with the aim to further strengthen coordination amongst the concerned Federal and Provincial entities and law enforcing agencies. Concerned federal and provincial authorities were also present on the occasion.
Talking on the occasion, the Chief Minister termed the drug addiction in the society as serious issue and stated that the provincial government was going all out to protect the youth from this menace and taking pragmatic steps to uproot the original sources of Narcotics. He said that it was impossible for a single department or agency to eradicate the causes behind the use of narcotics adding that all the concerned departments, law enforce agencies and other segments of society should make combined efforts under the integrated strategy in this regard. The dignitaries urged the need for a massive awareness campaign to protect the youth from the menace of drugs and agreed that opinion makers of the society including Ulema –e-Karaam and teachers would be engaged for the purpose. Highlighting the initiatives taken by the provincial government, Mahmood Khan said that his government was very much serious to control the use of narcotics in the province adding that steps are underway to further strengthen the antinarcotics department to this effect. He added that the provincial government was not only working to curb the menace of narcotics but was taking result oriented measures for the rehabilitation of drug addicts in the province as well. On this occasion, Federal Minister lauded the initiatives being taken by the provincial government against narcotics and assured that the federal government will extend all out support to the provincial government to strengthen its effort against narcotics.
