President urges youth to stay away from drugs

KARACHI: President Dr Arif Alvi on Tuesday stressing measures to control drug abuse said diverting energies of youth towards positive and healthy activities could help control the menace. Addressing an event to destroy narcotics by setting piles on fire, the president said the use of drugs not only ruined the individuals but the entire families also. The societies that preferred money over moral values eventually faced a decline, he added. President Alvi expressed concern over the young generation getting trapped in new and different kinds of narcotics and called upon the parents to keep vigilance on their children. He called the need for hitting at the supply chain of drugs for an effective narcotics control. Poor law and order situation in Karachi in previous years gave rise to illegal trade of drugs, he added. The president mentioned that the United States was spending billions of dollars on narcotics control. He said the role of religious leaders was important in providing guidance on social issues. The platform of mosques could be used in disseminating social service messages, he added. Sindh Governor Imran Ismail called on President Dr Arif Alvi here at the Governor House on Tuesday and briefed him in detail about the Anti-Narcotics Cell established in the Citizen Police Liaison Committee (CPLC). During the meeting, views were exchanged regarding the measures on anti-narcotics awareness campaign, elimination of menace from educational institutions and the protection of youth from narcotics. The Sindh governor told the president that the anti-narcotics awareness campaign in educational institutions of the province was continuing in coordination and cooperation among the Anti Narcotics Force (ANF), Police and the CPLC. The president appreciated the governor for his anti-narcotics efforts and said complete elimination of narcotics from educational institutions should be ensured.
Stressing for strict action against the elements involved, he said a sustained anti-narcotics awareness campaign was a must to protect the country’s youth from the menace. The president said parents could play a vital role in protecting their children from narcotics. Earlier, President Dr Arif Alvi and Governor Imran Ismail inspected the burning of large quality of narcotics by the ANF. The societies that preferred money over moral values eventually faced a decline, he added. President Alvi expressed concern over the young generation getting trapped in new and different kinds of narcotics and called upon the parents to keep vigilance on their children.