RAWALPINDI: As many as 67pc of the university students in the country use drugs.

This was revealed by Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) Director North Brig Hammad Dogar at a seminar on Drug Addiction and its Consequences held at Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi on Friday.

He said about 7.6 million people in Pakistan are drug addicts out of which 78pc are men and 22pc women.

The seminar was organized by the Arid University Office of the Students Affairs with an aim to create awareness among the youth about the abusive use of drugs and its harmful effects.

Prof. Dr Sarwat N Mirza Vice Chancellor PMAS-AAUR was the chief guest while Brig. Hammad Dogar, the ANF director was the guest of honor.

The seminar was attended by faculty members and a large number of students from all faculties and departments.

The ANF director stressed the need for collective efforts aimed at creating awareness of the harmful effects of drugs use among the youth.

He advised the students to avoid the myths leading to drug usage and said, “Drugs are illegal because they are dangerous, Listen to your inner voice and choose the pathways leading to successful and healthy life.”

Prof. Dr Sarwat N Mirza, Vice Chancellor, of the university emphasized the need for changing societies through attitude, by promoting the religious values and establishing strong social interactive system with family and friends to get rid of the evils from the society.

He urged the students to beware of the gateways leading to the usage of drugs and involve themselves in healthy activities and said: “Youth is the future of our country and we all must have to play role as an individual, teachers and parents in pulling out the drug addicts.”

Speakers were of the view that drug addiction was not a social evil rather a serious disease which required prevention as well as cure.

They said that the university administration and students should work together to deal with the issue and create awareness among the youth through different media so the menace could be purged from the society.

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2018