LAHORE: The Punjab government on Wednesday constituted a task force to end drugs from educational institutes of the province.

Punjab Minister for Health Dr Yasmin Rashid and Minister for Higher Education Raja Yasir Humayun jointly held a meeting of the anti-narcotics committee.

The committee has decided to form a high-powered task force to devise a concrete strategy to find a wayout to discourage use of drugs, particularly in educational institutions. They also discussed necessary actions for the rehabilitation of drug addicted persons.

The proposed provincial task force would comprise health, higher education, school education and excise and anti-narcotics ministers and administrative secretaries.

Ms Rashid said it was a big problem that mostly drug users became drug peddlers and controlling the menace of narcotics and rehabilitation of the addicts was the need of the hour.

She stressed departments to formulate a workable strategy.

“We will introduce a new legislation for eradication of drugs if necessary,” she vowed.

The minister also suggested starting a helpline for registering complaints of parents of students, school administration and those of general public.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2019