KARACHI: Expressing their resolve to work jointly against the menace of drug use, the federal and provincial governments say they will especially strive for elimination of synthetic drugs so that the youth could be protected against such substance, and those already affected be rehabilitated.
The resolve was expressed at a meeting held between Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Federal Minister for Narcotics Control Nawabzada Shazain Bugti here at CM House.
The minister acknowledge the role of Sindh government in taking the lead in conducting successful operations against drug trafficking and use in the province.
The menace of synthetic drugs which had penetrated into educational institutions in Sindh has been checked to a great extent, the minister and DG ANF acknowledge.
The chief minister said the penetration of synthetic drugs into educational institutions, particularly in Karachi, was a great threat to our children.
He added that a Provincial Task Force on Control of Narcotics has been constituted under his chairmanship in 2019 for providing policy guidelines for effective action against the drug sale and use.
The CM said that a committee under the DG Rangers has also been constituted to control narcotics smuggling on provincial borders, in coordination with all relevant agencies and to present a monthly progress reports to the provincial task force.
He said the ANF is presently running two Drugs Rehabilitation Centers, one in Karachi and the other in Hyderabad, where doctors and psychologists work in collaboration so that after the treatment addicts could be rehabilitated, enabling them to resume normal life.
Murad Shah added his government was also in the process of identifying land and setup special rehabilitation centres for drug addicts in the all divisional headquarters.
Earlier, the chief minister and the federal minister formally inaugurated the Benazir Shaheed Model Addicts Treatment & Rehabilitation Centre (MATRC) at Manghopir.
The centre is a state-of-the-art facility established by the provincial government with the help of the ANF and collaboration of the Ministry of Narcotics Control, and other national and international partners.
They said the MATRC aimed at providing quality and comprehensive services for treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration of drug users and their families.
Mr Shah said Sindh was one of the region most affected by the drug problem in Pakistan.
