ISLAMABAD: An estimated over 7.6 million people in Pakistan including students of universities in the country are drug-addicts and the number is feared to increase further, Senate Standing Committee on Science and Technology was informed here on Thursday.
The committee, chaired by Senator Mushtaq Ahmed, was briefed by the Higher Education Commission on increasing habit of drug-addiction in educational institutions. The committee was told that drugs were being smuggled from borders areas of the country and its worth was 200 percent more the budget of national defence.
Expressing dismay of the figure of 7.6 million drug addicts, the committee directed the higher education to launch a campaign against drugs suppliers and addicts in the universities. The committee also directed to take drug screening to students. The HEC told the committee that it was impossible to take drugs screening to all students in universities due to lack of funds and policy.
The committee expressed annoyance over the government over its failure on issue funds of Rs 21 billion to Higher Education Commission. The committee members said that the government was opening langar Khanas by decreasing funds of HEC.
The committee said that Prime minister Imran Khan was helpless to appoint his own advisors and someone was appointing advisors to PM.
The adviser to HEC told the committee that a campaign was launched to save the students in universities from drugs addiction and directives were issued to make smoke-free educational institutions. Measures were being taken for preventing sale and purchase of cigarettes from surrounding areas of the educational intuitions.
The committee proposed to collect extra money in fees of students for expenses of drugs screening to students.
With input from INP
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