PESHAWAR: The trading community of Peshawar has pledged to provide employment to 475 detoxified drug addicts to prevent their return towards addiction.
The commitment was made during meeting of the traders’ associations of the provincial metropolis held with Commissioner Peshawar Division, Riaz Khan Mehsud in the chair here on Sunday.
The meeting was attended by the representatives of Tanzim-e-Tajran, Anjuman-Tajran, Tajir Insaf Group, Hotel & Restaurants’ Association, Petroleum Association and Peshawar Cantonment Tajir Association.
Those who attended were included Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Dr Ihtesham-ul-Haq, General Manager (GM) KP Economic Zones Development & Management Company (EZDMC), Ishfaq Afridi while the trading community was represented by Malik Meher Elahi, Haji Mohammad Afzal, Shahid Khan, Mujeeb-ur-Rehman, Abdul Majid, Habibullah Zahid and others.
On this occasion, the representatives of the traders’ associations expressed full confidence in the efforts of the Commissioner Peshawar, Riaz Khan Mehsud for the rehabilitation of drug addicts and assured him full cooperation in provision of employment to them.
Briefing the trading community, the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC), Dr Ihtesham-ul-Haq said that 1200 drug addicts were being rehabilitated in public and private sector rehabilitation centers during Narcotics Free Campaign launched on May 25, 2022.
These drug addicts are now completely detoxicated and would be handed over to their families on August 25, 2022. Out of the total 1200 rehabilitated drug addicts 475 belongs to Peshawar and other parts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while 725 other hail from Punjab, Sindh, Azad Kashmir and neighboring country Afghanistan.
The rehabilitated addicts of Punjab, Sindh and Azad Kashmir would be handed over to their families through Deputy Commissioners of their concerned districts and the responsibility of the provision of employment to them is also given to them.
Addressing the meeting, the Commissioner Peshawar appealed the trading community for provision of employment to 475 rehabilitated drug addicts to enable them to earn livelihood for themselves.
In response to the request of the Commissioner Peshawar Division, the representatives of the trading community unanimously announced to employ the rehabilitated drug addicts on the basis of their academic qualification.
On this occasion, the president, Hotel & Restaurants’ Association, Habibullah Zahid pledged to provide employment to maximum number of 200 persons followed by Umar Pharmacy, which promised employment for 100 persons.
Similarly, Haji Mohammad Afzal, president Anjuman-e-Tajiran announced to look after two minor children. The representatives of other traders’ associations committed the provision of employment to the remaining persons.
Furthermore, the representative of the KP-EZDMC announced that the company has decided the provision of paid internship to graduates.
In this connection, another joint meeting of the trading community and district administration is scheduled tomorrow wherein the list of the rehabilitated persons would be handed over to them and they would be employed on the basis of the same serial number.
The Commissioner Peshawar thanked the trading community for their cooperation in provision of employment to the rehabilitated drug addicts and termed it an historic step.
He announced that after the passage of August 25, 2022 another operation against drug addicts would be carried out in Peshawar to cleanse the district of drug addicts.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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