President of Pakistan, Dr. Arif Alvi, has directed the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to devise a drug policy for universities by March 2021. He stressed that a defined set of rules is necessary to save students from the menace of narcotics and provide them a healthy learning environment.
The President’s remarks came during a meeting of the Committee on Drug Abuse and Welfare of Differently-abled Students. It was attended by Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training (FE&PT), Shafqat Mehmood, Minister for Narcotics Control, Muhammad Azam Khan Swati, and Minister for Human Rights, Dr. Shireen Mazari.
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Secretary FE&PT, Farah Hamid Khan, Secretary Narcotics Control, Shoaib Dastgir, Chairman HEC, Dr. Tariq Banuri, and DG Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), Major General Muhammad Arif Malik were also in attendance.
During the meeting, various proposals to eradicate the menace of drugs from educational institutions were considered. The Vice-Chancellors of various universities, joining via video-link, also shared their ideas in this regard.
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The meeting also called for raising awareness among youth by engaging social workers, media, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and civil society. It also underscored the need for closer collaboration among stakeholders, particularly the ministry of FE&PT, Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), and law-enforcement agencies.
The President also asked HEC to initiate measures for the welfare and facilitation of differently-abled students in educational institutions by providing them waivers in tuition fees, special transportation facilities within educational institutions, and relaxation in age.
