Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak has stressed urgent need to declare war on drug abuse both by the government and the civil society organisations and warned that drug abuse can lead to menaces of crimes, terrorism, violent behaviour and HIV/AIDs etc. He was shocked by the fact that Pakistan is facing a very severe problem of drug abuse and admitted that unfortunately Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province is the worst affected and is virtually in the grip of drug epidemic informing that 11% population of the province is abusing hard core drugs.
Addressing as chief guest at the inauguration ceremony of "Skooon Kors" (Peace Homes) built by Dost Welfare Foundation (DWF) at Dost Complex, Shahi Bala near Peshawar on Thursday, the CM said that menace of drug addiction can best be tackled with effective collaboration between the govt and non-govt organisations and assured that like many developed countries, the govt of KPK was also ready to extend its full support to NGOs like Dost Foundation which was provided with grant in aid to enable it to serve the cause of humanity by rehabilitating men, women and children drug addicts in an effective and sustainable manner.
The Pattern of DWF and former Chief Secretary, Muhammad Azam Khan presented a note of welcome while president of the foundation Dr Parveen Azam Khan in her address highlighted the objectives, activities, achievements and future plans of DWF and also appreciated the present provincial government's support for making the foundation's activities a success.
The CM also expressed his satisfaction over the achievements of the foundation and said that the organisation was providing a comprehensive range of services for drug demand reduction, HIV/AIDs prevention, human rights protection, training and capacity building for drug users, refugees and vulnerable women and children.
He also told that under the present government's directives issued in 2014 for making arrangement and treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts living on the streets of Peshawar, a number of addicts were admitted in Dost Foundation's facilities and who are still being rehabilitated in the new buildings of the foundation.
He also informed that KPK govt had recently launched a unique project to house the street children at Nasapa Flats near Peshawar and assume the responsibility to fulfil their needs of education, health, food, sports, shelter as well as psychological and career counselling at homely and dignified environment. Earlier, the CM inaugurated the newly build houses of the foundation and went through various sections and viewed the facilities which were made available for the treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts from KP, FATA, other parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan as well.