ISLAMABAD, March 1: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said the government is committed to make Pakistan a poppy-free country and called for an elaborate strategy to create mass awareness about drug addiction.

Chairing a meeting to review the goals and targets of the ministry of narcotics control at the PM House on Wednesday, he said drug addiction was a social evil which could affect anyone from any age group and any class of the society.

Stressing awareness among all segments of the society, the PM asked the ministry to formulate an elaborate strategy, in collaboration with the provincial governments, for creating mass awareness on drug addiction, providing alternate crops and means of employment to poppy growers and imparting skills to addicts.

He said in this regard the government would provide all necessary resources to the ministry.

Federal Minister for Narcotics Control Ghaus Bux Mehar said there were 3.1 million drug addicts in the country, including half a million heroin addicts. He briefed the PM about the steps being taken for their rehabilitation.

The prime minister asked the ministry to interact with the educational institutions by sending teams to schools and colleges and training its staff to create awareness among the students.

He was informed that the ministry had recently established two rehabilitation centres in Quetta and Islamabad while three more would be set up soon in Multan, Abbottabad and Sukkur.

The PM asked the ministry to mobilize civil society organisations to take initiatives regarding rehabilitation and treatment of drug addicts.

He directed the ANF to double its efforts to check smuggling of drugs and their transit through the country.—APP