Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Engineer Shaukatullah launched the drug abuse prevention campaign in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa which will be carried forward in coming four months under the aegis of the Federal Government in collaboration with the United Nation's Organisation for Drugs and Crime Control.
The ceremony attended by representatives of civic society and senior officials, besides students were also addressed by the Country Representative of UNODC, Jeremy Douglas, Peshawar based US Consul General, Robert G. Reed, and the Chairperson of a NGO, "Dost", Mrs Parveen Azam Khan.
The Governor while stressing the importance of efforts for drug prevention said that there is a need to make special efforts to reach each and every segment of society. Highlighting the importance of the role of media in educating the drug addicted people especially those who even cannot read or write besides having inaccessibility to social and electronic media, he said, there is a need to ensure more effective role of the civic society in this respect.
Appreciating the launching of the campaign, the Governor said, indeed the drug trafficking and abuse are one of the major challenges being faced by the people of the province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa besides terrorism. Though, the Governor said, we have ensured zero level poppy production at our soil, yet both FATA and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa are bordering the country which produces 90 percent of the world poppy and it is impossible to control one hundred percent of the trafficking of drugs from across the border. However, he said that the law enforcement agencies especially the Anti Narcotics Force, Customs, Frontier Corps and Police are putting their utmost efforts to control the trafficking of drugs and their achievements in catching the highest quantity of drugs in the region are quite visible.
Referring to the negative effects of drug abuse on society, the Governor said, it indeed continues to emerge as a strategy among youth to cope with the problems of unemployment, negligence, violence and boredom and the worst aspects of the drug problem is that it affects primarily those who are most vulnerable, the youth in particular. To counter this problem, the Governor stressed the need for promotion of sports which, he remarked, can prove helpful in improving self esteem, better handling of stress, increase in academic performance and improved relationships with family and friends.
The Governor expressed the confidence that the drug prevention campaign designed to be launched in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa will provide an opportunity for our youth, parents, teachers and general public to learn more about the harmful effects of drugs and its consequences on an individual, a family and a society.
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