A function regarding giving away "performance awards" to the officials showing outstanding performance in Anti-Drug campaign under Drug-Free City Lahore Project and other law enforcement agencies and volunteers of welfare organisations was held at ANF Secretariat here on Saturday.
Federal Secretary Narcotics Control Sohail Ahmad distributed cash prizes and commendatory certificates to the officers of law enforcing agencies and volunteers.
The function was held after the passage of half period of three years' Drug-Free City Lahore Project. Addressing the function Federal Secretary Narcotics Control Sohail Ahmad said that purging the society of narcotics is a noble cause. He said that besides government efforts, this task couldn't be achieved without active participation of civil society. He said that life is a beautiful gift of Almighty Allah, which cannot be destroyed due to drugs. He directed the police to take action against those involved in business of drugs without any discrimination but the person using drugs should be considered a patient instead of accused and sent to hospital instead of jail so that he could get rid of drugs.
Sohail Ahmad gave a cash prize of Rs 1,00,000 to Lahore police for best performance. CCPO Lahore Ahmad Raza Tahir received this prize on behalf of Lahore police. Force Commander Anti-Narcotics Force Lahore Brigadier Shahid Afzal received the second prize of Rs 50,000 on behalf of ANF whereas third prize of Rs 25,000 was given to jawans of Punjab Rangers.
President Shahzad Anjum Baig of Safe Child Foundation and president of "Ihsas for Life" Waseem Hassan were declared eligible jointly for first prize of Rs 1,00,000 for showing best performance in the campaign against drugs. The second prize of NGOs was given to Muslim Welfare Society whereas Oriental Welfare Society and Tanzeem Alfajar were declared eligible jointly for third prize. Commendatory certificates were given to the Pak Youth Welfare Council, Global Welfare Organisation and Pakistan Bright Youth Council.
Earlier, the one and a half years' performance was reviewed in detail in the meeting of steering committee of Drug-Free City Lahore Project presided over by Federal Secretary Narcotics Control Sohail Ahmad. The meeting also fixed new targets with regard to eradication of drugs for next six months for six enforcement zones of Lahore and 28 zones allocated for NGOs.
Director General ANF Major General Syed Shakil Hussain, Force Commander ANF Lahore Brigadier Shahid Afzal, Director General PMU of Ministry of Narcotics Control Brigadier Muhammad Shahid, Project Director Drug Free City Lahore Altaf Qamar and administrative secretaries of 18 provincial departments included in the task force of the project were also present in the function.