ISLAMABAD: After the recent claim made by Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Khan Afridi that a large number of students used drugs in Islamabad, the police have decided to launch a crackdown on the dealers.

Senior Superintendent of Police (operations) Waqaruddin Syed has directed all police officers to enhance vigilance in nearby areas of educational institutions.

A few weeks ago, the minister claimed that 75pc girls and over 40pc boys in private schools used drugs.

However, in government schools the ratio was around 2pc, he added.

The SSP said that the sale of drugs in education institutions would not be tolerated.

He directed to register cases against such elements without any delay.

Meanwhile, the police have arrested five people and recovered drugs and liquor from their possession. According to the police, the drugs were to be provided to the students.

In March 2018, the Senate Standing Committee on Interior advised the government to conduct yearly blood tests of all teenage and adult students in the federal capital to identify the drug addicts.

The recommendation came after a briefing by the police in which it was stated that apart from using heroin and opium some addictive tablets were also being used by the students and young generation in educational institutions and during parties held in hotels.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Security Waqar Chohan told the committee at a meeting that the Special Branch had arrested some people which were allegedly involved in the supply of drugs to the students.

He said addictive tablets were recovered from some culprits for the first time in 2017.

Parties were held in hotels in which youngsters used such drugs, he claimed, adding the tablets were smuggled into Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2018